Information from FEMA and the City of New York for those Counties Affected by Hurricane Sandy

We received the following message from FEMA and wanted to share it with our members:

FEMA recognizes that communities affected by Hurricane Sandy have already started or will begin making critical recovery decisions – long before any new Flood Insurance Rate Maps can be finalized in the affected areas.  To that end, FEMA is working to prepare more up to date flood hazard information in the coming weeks to allow communities, residents, and business owners to make informed rebuilding decisions.  Use of this information will be required for certain FEMA funded recovery and mitigation activities after release and is highly encouraged for other rebuilding efforts.

FEMA is committed to working closely with state and local communities to provide information that can be used for recovery decision-making.  The decisions citizens make now as they rebuild can help provide better, stronger futures for their families.

The updated flood hazard data will come in the form of Advisory Base Flood Elevations for Bronx, Kings, New York, Richmond, Queens, and Westchester Counties in New York.  The advisory data prepared and provided is based on on-going study efforts along the coast and is recognized by FEMA as vital for rebuilding a strong and resilient community.

For more information please visit www.Region2Coastal.com or contact us at [email protected].

Also, the City of New York Office of the Mayor issued Executive Order No. 230 on January 31, 2013 entitled Emergency Order to Suspend Zoning Provisions to Facilitate Reconstruction in Accordance with Enhanced Flood Resistant Construction Standards.

You can read the order here: http://www.nyc.gov/html/om/pdf/eo/eo_230.pdf