Ft. Myers Beach may regain lost flood discounts
2025’s hurricane outlook appears a little less intense than 2024, Fort Myers Beach may get back in FEMA’s good graces for flood insurance reductions, and Pinellas County gets special ‘Elevate Florida’ workshops to help homeowners weather future storms from higher ground. It’s all in this week’s Disaster Management Digest.
2025 Hurricane Season: Predictions from AccuWeather show that the 2025 hurricane season may be closer to average than its 2024 predecessor, which, while still calling for 13 to 18 named storms, is a lot closer to historical averages from the last 30 years. This is certainly better news than the “supercharged” destruction brought to the Sunshine State during 2024’s three hurricanes, but AccuWeather is still predicting seven to 10 of these storms will become full fledged hurricanes, with three to five of those becoming major hurricanes. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts also calls for a near average 2025 season, but such forecasts can still produce storms which spell disaster for Floridians. With the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1, we’ll keep an eye out for NOAA’s forecast, typically released in May, and the April forecast from Colorado State University’s meteorologists. This is the perfect time to review my Lisa’s Lucky 7 Hurricane Season Prep!
A home in Ft. Myers Beach awaits repairs from Hurricane Ian damage, June 27, 2023
FEMA and Fort Myers Beach: Fort Myers Beach Mayor Dan Allers is hopeful his town can soon be off probation from FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as early as November 18 of this year. It was the only Southwest Florida community to lose its 25% NFIP discount policy discount after FEMA found last fall that it failed to adequately correct violations under FEMA’s so-called 50% Rule on repair and rebuilding after Hurricane Ian. Allers’ new three-item checklist: prove that over 1,500 properties have the right permits, show that they are enforcing building codes, and remove structures that were never cleared for construction in flood zones. With flood policies costing anywhere from $6,000 to $15,000 for residents in the area, the return of the 25% discount would be welcome news for the 7,000 NFIP policyholders in Fort Myers Beach.
A Pinellas County home being elevated for protection against future floodwaters. Courtesy, WTSP-TV
Elevate Florida Workshops: The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM) has been actively marketing its new residential mitigation program Elevate Florida in workshops across the state, including Pinellas County, which suffered extensive flooding from hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024. The program offers free grants to homeowners to pay upwards of 75% of the cost of mitigation projects like home elevation and reconstruction (up to the federal cost share maximum of $220,000). The homeowner has to fund the remaining project cost upfront, which can be done through an innovative arrangement for low-interest federal SBA loans. FDEM expects to be able to assist around 950 properties with the current level of funding, and according to FEMA, the program received over 1,200 applications within the first 6 hours of the portal being opened on February 7. of this year. About 75% of those applicants came from Pinellas County, where residents in areas like Treasure Island have been working tirelessly in disaster recovery and rebuilding efforts. FDEM has set an application deadline of April 11, 2025.
LMA Newsletter of 3-31-25
