In South Queens, Hopes Legislation Could Delay Skyrocketing Flood Insurance Rates
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Congressman Cedric Richmond says he and other representatives will fight to amend the proposed back breaking provisos of the Biggert-Waters Act.
By Anna Gustafson Recently proposed federal legislation that aims to protect coastal homeowners from what many in South Queens say will be devastating hikes in insurance rates would give some peace of mind to residents who, plagued by financial concerns wrought by Hurricane Sandy, no longer know if they will be able to stay in their longtime homes, West 12th Road Block Association President Peter Mahon said this week. “It’s not a cure at all, but it would provide a lot of breathing room for some people,” Mahon, whose organization covers a portion of Broad Channel, said of the Flood Insurance Implementation Reform Act of 2013 that was introduced by U.S. Reps. Cedric Richmond
(D-La.) and Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) last week. “Everyone here is pulling their hair out. They don’t know if they can afford to stay at this point.” The act, which is being co-sponsored by four Republicans from Louisiana and another Democrat from California, essentially seeks to delay implementation of parts of the BiggertWaters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 that was approved by Congress last year. The act, which a number of legislators have said was not thoroughly vetted in part because it was tacked onto unrelated federal transportation legislation, phases out some subsidized insurance rates and allows for rate increases of 20 to 25 percent a year until properties reach actuarial status. While supporters of the legislation have said it was meant to make a debt-ridden National Flood Insurance Program more fiscally stable, homeowners in Queens - and throughout the country, including in the flood-prone areas of Louisiana - said the new rates would force many from their homes because they would no longer be able to afford to live there. “A consistent, affordable flood insurance program is critical to the U.S. economy, especially for areas recovering from recent flooding,” Richmond said in a prepared statement. “The Flood Insurance Implementation Reform Act delays certain provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012 to make sure flood insurance rates don’t burden homeowners and home sales can move forward.” Richmond’s bill, which has yet to make it out of committee and onto the floor of the House and Senate for a vote, would for five years delay the Biggert-Waters stipulation that new home buyers be charged actuarial rates and instead
would pay the rate of the previous owner. Additionally, the bill would delay a portion of the Biggert-Waters act that directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency to increase rates over a five year period for any community that receives a revised or new flood map - which could be much of South Queens and parts of Brooklyn and Staten Island. FEMA in January released proposed flood maps that basically doubles the number of buildings in flood danger zones in New York City. Another round of revised maps are expected to be released by FEMA in June, though final maps may not be adopted for more than a year. Once the new maps are adopted, homeowners could also be forced to elevate their houses or face additional insurance costs something that could be devastating for places like Broad Channel or Rockaway, where residents have already shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to renovate homes destroyed in Hurricane Sandy. “This could be a town killer,” Mahon said of Biggert-Waters. “This could turn Broad Channel into a community of foreclosed homes.” Richmond’s legislation would also require FEMA to take non-structural flood mitigation features - such as forests and marshland - into consideration for their flood insurance rate maps, and the federal agency would be required to work with property owners and other area stakeholders to identify the fea-
tures. Such a measure could result in decreased rates for homeowners. This is not the first time federal legislators have attempted to curb the impact of BiggertWaters - sponsored by U.S. Rep. Judy Biggert (R-Ill.), who is no longer in office, and Waters, who has said she did not intend to cause financial duress for citizens and is working with the Obama administration and others to address the issue. U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) recently introduced a bill that also would have delayed the implementation of the flood insurance law, but her amendment was blocked by a vote from U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) under a Senate procedure that allows a single legislator to keep a vote from happening. This week, U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) proposed an amendment to a federal spending bill that would deny FEMA any funds to implement the 2012 law. While Mahon said he is happy that legislators are looking to lend a hand to coastal homeowners, he is skeptical a bill like Richmond’s will pass - and he wants to see more involvement from New York legislators including U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) in making sure Queens property owners are not left in financial ruin. “Why are we dependent on Louisiana doing this?” Mahon asked. “Why wasn’t Schumer or Gillibrand at the forefront of doing something about this?”
South Ozone Park F.B.I. Agent’s Car Stolen Second incident occurs nearly two years later
By Samantha Geary A Toyota Camry belonging to an F.B.I. agent living in South Ozone Park was stolen last week, police say. The vehicle had been parked in front of the agent’s home at the time of the theft and contained a lock box with the agents M4 rifle and a bulletproof vest inside. Both items were intact inside the vehicle when police officers from the 106th precinct found it less than 24 hours after it was reported missing. The vehicle turned up just a few miles from the agent’s home near Yellowstone Boulevard and Kessel Street in Forest Hills. The same F.B.I. agent and his vehicle were the focus of another investigation back in July of 2011 when police were called to the agent’s house after he shot intruder trying to break File Photo into the car. Investigators examined the crime scene in South Ozone No arrests have been made in the case and Park back in July 2012, after thieves tried to steal the same car from the same FBI agent. the investigation is ongoing.
THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • June 6, 2013 | 5 THE FORUM NEWSGROUP • June 6, 2013 |