Clearwater holds community meeting to discuss FEMA 50 percent rule

FEMA implementing 50% rule in impacted communities

FOX 13's Jordan Bowen spoke with residents and FEMA officials about how the 50 percent rule could impact them.

CLEARWATER, Fla. - Whether to sell or rebuild is a question on the minds of many people in Clearwater after their homes were destroyed by hurricanes. If residents do choose to rebuild, they have to follow the 50 percent rule, which could mean having to raise their home several feet.

Dozens of residents filled a meeting room in downtown Clearwater on Saturday morning for a special community meeting about the 50 percent rule.

"We pretty much lost everything, lost all contents of the home, and now we're trying to figure out what are our options here with the FEMA 50% rule," Clearwater resident David Popp said.

The 50 percent rule is a regulation from the National Flood Insurance Program. It requires that if a building in a designated flood zone sustains damage and the cost to repair equals or exceeds 50% of its pre-damage market value, the building must be updated to current floodplain management standards.

For a lot of residents, that would mean having to raise their home several feet high. It’s something resident David Popp is seriously considering.

"There's so much invested already in the property. It’s a really nice area. Obviously, there's a lot of value, intrinsic value. I have to at least somewhat have to continue to invest in it. That's the challenge. When and where and how long and who's going to pay for it," Popp said.

Popp's home got more than three feet of water. He had to rip out all of the flooring and most of the drywall. He's now living in an apartment as he figures out his next steps.

According to FEMA officials at the meeting, FEMA will pay to raise someone’s home, but the homeowner must pay up front first in order to get reimbursed. The cost to raise a home can vary substantially, but can cost upwards of a $100,000 or more depending on the home.

"To lose those families, which are part of the character of our beach, to lose those dwellings that have been part of the rich fabric of that community for so many years, that’s saddening. Unfortunately, we're going to lose some of that," Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector said.

In order to rebuild, residents must first get a damage estimate from the city on their home which is then compared to the county property appraiser’s market value. If residents disagree with the value, they can challenge it with third-party estimates. As Rector explains, the 50 percent is meant to make homes safer, which in turn helps keep insurance premiums low.

"If we don't comply with the rules for participation in that program, we could see a significant increase in premiums for all of our participants here in Tampa Bay for the flood insurance program," Rector said.

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