I’ve recently selected a new Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) director. Her name is Michelle Jackson Higgins and she is a native of Norco. Michelle received her Bachelor's of Science degree from Louisiana State University. She has worked several years with the Arc of Greater New Orleans, with the last five years as the Director of Children's services. Mrs. Higgins has worked closely with local and state agencies in terms of programming, licensing and funding. She has received leadership awards as well as a certificate for completion of coursework in nonprofit leadership and management. We welcome Michelle.
Congress had asked FEMA to do an affordability study, and this is what they came up with – methods to encourage and maintain participants in the National Flood Insurance Program, methods to educate the consumer about the program and the flood risks associated with the properties, methods of establishing an affordable framework for NFIP (including methods to aid individuals to afford risk-based premiums under NFIP through targeted assistance rather than general subsidized rates, including means-tested vouchers) and the implementation of NFIP and the federal budget of using each method.
The National Academy of Sciences Foundation is administrating the conduct of the study. Under Section A, the administrator shall enter into a contract with the National Academy of Sciences in consultation with the controller-general of the United States. They shall conduct and submit to the administrator of economic administrator an economic analysis of the costs and benefits of NFIP with full risk-based premiums combined with the means-tested federal assistance to aid individuals who cannot afford coverage through the insurance voucher program.
The analysis shall compare the cost of the program of risk-based rates and means-tested assistance through the current system of subsidized rates and federally funded disaster relief rates for people without coverage. The report asks for no later than 274 days after the date of the enactment of this act that the administrator shall submit to the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives a report that contains the results of the study.
They also authorized $750,000 to get this done. This is a big step to moving to a more affordable flood insurance rate.
Last week I attended a conference of the National Association of Developmental Organizations, of which South Central Planning gave a presentation on building better communities and life after disasters. There were probably 30 states in attendance, and when we asked how many were familiar with the Biggert-Waters Act, only three knew about it – Louisiana, Mississippi and Kentucky. No one else had a clue what was going on. Those states have a rude awakening coming.
