Lee County to give update on FEMA flood insurance discount

Reporter: Taylor Wirtz
Published: Updated:
flooding
Flooding in Fort Myers after Hurricane Ian. CREDIT: WINK News

People fearing their 25% flood insurance discount is in jeopardy may get some clarity on Tuesday morning—at least in Lee County—as the county is set to provide an update on its effort to reverse FEMA’s decision to pull the discount.

FEMA said people in Cape Coral, Estero, Bonita Springs, Fort Myers Beach and Unincorporated Lee County didn’t follow rebuilding rules or didn’t properly document that they did.

“I don’t necessarily know there was miscommunication and disconnect as much as, and I’ll give one city here locally did 37,000 permits,” said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “They don’t do 37,000 permits in 10 years, so I think it was a mirror volume that led to things falling through the cracks.

Following efforts by Senator Rick Scott, Congressman Byron Donalds, Congressman Greg Stuebe, and Senator Marco Rubio, FEMA agreed to a 30-day hold, allowing the county and municipalities to make their case.

Now, all are under a June 10 deadline to get their paperwork in order, or people in those areas lose the 25% discount they’re currently getting.

As we recently reported, Cape Coral said it beat that June 10 deadline by a month, and the mayor is “cautiously optimistic” that neighbors will get to keep their discounts.

Lee County will give an update on the issue at Tuesday’s county commissioners meeting at 9:30 a.m.

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