Fort Myers Beach looking for answers from FEMA

The Fort Myers Beach Town Council held a special meeting on Thursday.

One of the items on the agenda was to discuss FEMA‘s recent decision to remove the 25% discount.

• RELATED: Leaders react to FEMA pulling 25% insurance discount

Town Manager Andy Hyatt and Mayor Dan Allers went through a detailed timeline of the town’s communication with FEMA from February 2023 until now.

On December 6, 2023, the town received a list of 105 noncompliant properties from FEMA.

The town said they sent information back to FEMA on January 12, which FEMA confirmed on January 17.

The town communicated with FEMA after that, but it was on March 28 that the town was told the 25% discount would be gone on October 1.

“We were taken aback,” said Mayor Dan Allers. “We have done everything asked of us. We’ve worked very hard to get that rating, and to take it away without communication, without warning.”

The town council says they’re questioning why this happened since they’ve been working with FEMA, taking all of the trainings and doing everything FEMA has asked.

Rick Loughrey, who lives on Fort Myers Beach, is shocked FEMA is pulling the discount.

• RELATED: FEMA’s regulations against Rick on the Roof

He wasn’t on his roof, but he was just as active around his house.

“Every day I go through the process of picking things up, making sure everything’s weighed down and safe for the night coming up for the next day,” he said.

Loughrey’s home was completely washed away during Hurricane Ian, and he’s been living in his camper while he fixes it.

“It’s our home, and we plan on staying if we can for as long as we can,” Loughrey said.

FEMA’s decision to remove the 25% discount is worse for Loughrey.

He’s under builder’s insurance which is even more expensive.

“I don’t think, at this point, I can even have flood insurance because I’m in the building process,” Loughrey said. “If the storm comes in, it’s gonna hurt me even worse.”

Someone on Facebook blamed Loughrey as one of the 105 properties FEMA says are not in compliance, causing Fort Myers Beach to lose the 25% discount.

“I can assure you,” he said. “I’ve checked in all directions to make sure that I had no responsibility in this. I assure you. I don’t. We’ve never been given that list. We’ve never seen which homes are on that list.”

“Which one of these homes was the reason for you to say we no longer should be getting the 25% discount for our residents?” asked Allers.

“It’s time to find out and go through the process, and find out why they’re taking it away from us,” said Loughrey.

Town manager Andy Hyatt said he and another staff member called FEMA on Friday and were told the decision to remove the discount was final.

WINK News reached out to FEMA again today to see if they have a response to the town council’s comments.

They’re standing by the statement they sent to WINK on Friday, saying the discount is being pulled because of unpermitted work, lack of documentation, and failure to monitor activity properly in special flood hazard areas.