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1. Why am I receiving this letter?

Your home received a significant amount of water in the August 2016 flood, and the estimated cost to repair the home is high compared to the value. Because of this, your home has been designated as Substantially Damaged. Mitigating your home will reduce the chance of future flooding and property loss.

2. What is Substantial Damage?

Substantial Damage is when the cost to repair a structure in the floodplain exceeds 50% of the existing value of that structure (land value is not included), the structure is located in a Special Flood Hazard Area, and the structure is below the established Base Flood Elevation. Substantial Damage requires these structures to be better protected from future disasters. This is a federal requirement by FEMA that all communities in the National Flood Insurance Program must follow.

3. Am I being forced to move out of my home?

NO, you can stay in your home. We encourage you to begin the mitigation process as soon as possible to reduce your flood risks. The City-Parish Floodplain and Mitigation Specialists will help you through the process.

4. What is mitigation?

Mitigation is the act of reducing or eliminating a structure’s flood risk to the maximum extent practical.

5. What does Substantial Damage require?

Substantial Damage is in place to reduce the chance of at-risk structures flooding in the future, by reducing flood risks. It requires mitigating the structure's flood risk by relocating, retrofitting, elevation, buy-out, or any other FEMA-approved methods.

6. What if I don't think I have Substantial Damage?

You can submit additional documentation to our office for review to appeal this determination. The City-Parish Floodplain and Mitigation Specialists will assist you in the appeals process. Contact information is in the letter.

7. Why have other people around me rebuilt without elevating?

Your neighbors may be receiving the same notice. Some neighbors may have already appealed this determination when they received a repair permit. But Substantial Damage is structure-specific depending on the depth of flooding, scope of repairs, and condition/value of the existing home. Flood depths were not the same even down the same street.

8. What do I do now?

Reach out immediately to the City-Parish Floodplain and Mitigation Specialists to begin working on your mitigation plan. You are not being required to leave your home. Financial assistance may be available through grants and other assistance to elevate, relocate, retrofit, buy-out or demolish substantially damages structures. You will also be a priority group for public grants handled through the Mayor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness.

9. When are all of the letters going to go out?

All of the letters are scheduled to go out by the end of 2021. We will be sending out batches of approximately 300 letters every 6 to 8 weeks.