Lofgren Hails Passage Of Reauthorize Federal Flood Control Insurance Program

Today’s vote will help people in Willow Glen, other areas of San Jose

Washington, DC—Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose) hailed today’s vote to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The program enables to homeowners to obtain flood insurance backed by the federal government in communities across the country that have voluntarily agreed to institute flood control measure and land-use policies to reduce flooding. With communities, such as the Willow Glen neighborhood in San Jose, volunteering for this program and homeowners purchasing flood insurance, taxpayers at-large are saved from the high cost of rebuilding communities and homes that have been destroyed by the devastating effects of floods. When communities volunteer for this program, homeowners are required to have insurance before closing on their house purchases or refinancing their mortgages. The bill passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support for the program.

“This insurance is vitally important to all homeowners and taxpayers. Without this program, flood insurance would be expensive to homeowners and almost impossible to obtain,” said Lofgren.

The National Flood Insurance Program, which is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was created in 1968 in response to the rising cost of taxpayer funded disaster relief for flood victims and flood devastated areas. According to FEMA, nearly 20,000 communities across the United States and its territories participate in the NFIP. In addition to Willow Glen, the FEMA program affects many other neighborhoods in San Jose along the Gaudalupe River and the Coyote Creek Watershed.

Recent improvements to flood control projects in the city of San Jose and Santa Clara County may have eased the requirement that some residents in San Jose obtain flood insurance. Congresswoman Lofgren today vowed to work with residents, the Santa Clara County Water District and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to review current flood control maps to determine whether maps need to be changed and insurance requirements eased through reductions of flood threats.


Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren is beginning her fifth term in Congress, and she has been recently named by House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi to be an At-Large Whip and a member of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee. She represents parts of Santa Clara County and most of the city of San Jose in Congress.

 

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