FORT MYERS, Fla. — While thousands of residents of unincorporated Lee County, Cape Coral, and other local cities will lose their 25% flood insurance discount from FEMA, Fort Myers was able to keep its discount.
“It can impact a lot of people, at a lot of different income levels,” Mayor Kevin Anderson said in an interview with Fox 4.
Last Thursday, FEMA officials notified several local governments they would no longer be eligible to receive a discount on flood insurance.
In both Lee County and Cape Coral, FEMA cited unpermitted work and a lack of documentation.
Both local governments dispute those claims.
“It’s a never-ending process,” Anderson said, referring to working with FEMA.
“It’s a continual assessment on our part. Not only to make sure we stay within the guidelines, but hopefully we’re improving our rating to, possibly, get a greater discount at some point.”
Earlier this week, Lee County’s Board of County Commissioners voted to give county staff “any and all tools” necessary to investigate the FEMA decision and find a way to appeal.
Anderson says the only advice he could give to other local leaders “is the same advice they would give me, you have to understand the requirements and do your best to meet them.”
FEMA’s decision to strip local areas of the 25% discount takes effect October 1st.
