City Of New Orleans Announces Major Funding Awarded To Elevate Repeatedly Flooded Homes

From the City of New Orleans:

March 15, 2021

Today, the City of New Orleans announced the award of $8.4 million in grant funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) program. Those dollars will fund the elevation of 31 pre-identified homes in New Orleans that have experienced repeated and severe flooding.

"Home elevation is part of the administration's broader strategy to reduce flood risk and strenghten resiliency throughout the city," said Mayor LaToya Cantrell. "FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance program will help fund the elevation of the homes of 31 families who have suffered from flood loss, building on our previous work. We're excited about the progress we're making to protect our residents during weather events."

The City's Hazard Mitigation Office applied for FMA funds on behalf of Orleans PArish homeowners across the city whose structures have experienced severe and repetitive loss from flood damage. The grant application was submitted by the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) and awarded by FEMA.

New Orleans Hazard Mitigation Administrator Austin Feldbaum said, "FEMA's grant programs play a critical role in financing projects that reduce the impacts of natural disasters in the city, protecting both people and property. I am grateful for the support of our state and federal partners to mitigate many of our most flood-prone structures."

FEMA Region 6 Deputy Branch Director for Hazard Mitigation Shontae Davis said, "FEMA's Flood Mitigation Assistance grants help communities like New Orleans become more sustainable and disaster-resistant. FEMA continues to support our state and local partners to reduce risk in cities and parishes across Louisiana."

Residents are encouraged to understand their flood risk, get flood insurance, and learn how to protect property from flood damage by visiting https://ready.nola.gov/rain. Those who are interested in learning more about flood mitigation grants should contact the Hazard Mitigation Office at 504-658-8740 or hazardmitigation@nola.gov.

This press release was produced by the City of New Orleans. The views expressed are the author's own.