Politics & Government
Bill Would Ease Restrictions For Flood-Prone Homeowners
Homeowners would be able to raise their houses to a "new and appropriate elevation" set by FEMA standards.
The New Jersey State Assembly and Senate passed a bill last week which would allow flood-prone property owners to raise their houses to a "new and appropriate elevation" without having to seek variances from local officials.
The bill, A3890, would allow homeowners to raise their houses to FEMA's new flood elevation standards regardless of what local law dictates.
Lawmakers said that raising homes will also allow the owners to reduce their flood insurance.
The bill was sponsored by District 38 Assemblyman Timothy Eustace, among other lawmakers.
"It is a catch-22 for property owners," Eustace said in a press release. "You want to raise your property to meet new federal guidelines to protect your home from future flooding and avoid higher flood insurance premiums, but doing so might mean breaking land use restrictions set by your local government. The bill helps avoid this potential conflict by providing a partial exemption that would allow the property owner to raise an existing structure without violating local land use restrictions."
Gov. Chris Christie will need to sign the bill for it to become law.
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