On September 11, 2018, the Alachua County Commission was presented a plaque from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for improvement to a Class 5 from a Class 6 rating (on a scale from 1 to 10; 10 being the lowest, 1 being the highest) of the Community Rating System (CRS).
The CRS is a voluntary incentive program of the National Flood Insurance Policies (NFIP) and provides for discounted flood insurance premiums to property owners in participating communities. Alachua County homeowners required to carry flood insurance will receive an additional 5% discount (a 25% discount, as opposed to the current 20% discount) on their flood insurance premiums. The CRS rating is effective October 1, 2017, and is good for three years.
Alachua County has been a participating community in the NFIP
since 1984 and in the CRS since 1995. The Community Rating System effort
is a result of collaboration between the various Alachua County
Departments; Fire Rescue, Growth Management, Environmental Protection
and Public Works.
The three goals of the CRS are:
- Reduce flood damage to insurable property.
- Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the NFIP and
- Encourage a comprehensive approach to Floodplain Management.
This reflects the County’s commitment to protecting lives and property through mitigation and wise planning practices.
For more information on the CRS click this link: https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_community-rating-system_local-guide-flood-insurance-2018.pdf