The Federal Emergency Management Agency has suspended new and renewed flood insurance policies in Indianapolis and Marion County, Illinois, the Indy Star reported Thursday.
According to the agency, the city made mistakes in updating its flood protection map and ordinance. Now, as many as 7,000 homeowners required to purchase insurance could be affected.
City attorneys have filed a request for a temporary restraining order in the US District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, saying Indianapolis’ ordinance was in order and the suspension from FEMA could “[strip] thousands of Indianapolis households and prospective homebuyers of their eligibility for federal flood insurance.”
“FEMA’s suspension comes during the height of the spring rainy season,” the complaint says. “Should Indianapolis flood during the period of FEMA’s suspension while homeowners are without flood insurance, the economic consequences for Indianapolis could be disastrous.”
Marion County had been working on a plan to update its flood protection ordinance for about a year, finally sending it to the Department of Metropolitan Development and the City-County Council for approval earlier this month, in accordance with federal government requirements.
However, FEMA told the city the ordinance had at least 10 mistakes that needed to be fixed in order for insurance policies to be issued or renewed.
The Indy Star said the city changed six of the alleged errors, but four others need time to go back through the city and council approval process – and the group doesn’t meet until May 9.
For its part, the city says the 10 allegations of “non-compliance” from FEMA were “technical and semantical,” and which they had no problem changing. However, the lack of advanced notice of suspension or communication with FEMA is troublesome, they say.
“FEMA has steadfastly refused to stay or modify its decision, opting instead to strip flood insurance eligibility from thousands of homeowners and prospective homeowners,” the city said in its court brief.
The exact number of homeowners that will be affected by the suspension is unknown, as the city doesn’t keep records of upcoming policy renewals. However, as many as 7,000 people could be at risk.
