New York Assemblyman Phillip Goldfeder represents a district in New York City where 85% of the families were affected by superstorm Sandy. He was not happy with FEMA’s response and he is out to make changes.
He has reached out to five members of the US Congress who represent areas devastated by Katrina in an effort to “fix the broken National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP),” as he referred to it in a letter sent to the five. Getting the letter were:
- Steven Palazzo, D-MS
- Steve Scalise, D-LA
- Cedric Richmond, D-LA
- Ralph Abraham, D-LA, and
- Garret Grave, D-LA
Goldfeder is also working with others in New York on creating the New York Flood Insurance Association (NYFIA), and has introduced legislation to that effect. He said the NYFIA would provide home and business owners with an alternative means of insuring against flood, modeled on a system in place in Florida since 1993, and on the New York Property Insurance Underwriters Association.
An aide to Goldfeder said his office has had informal discussions with staff from two of the congressmen he wrote to, and that he expects meetings to be arranged with them soon.
“Under my proposal, we would create a system that requires insurers to put some skin in the game and pool risks to help lower flood insurance premiums…” he wrote to the congressmen.
“Goldfeder’s ultimate goal is to collaborate with people from other affected states on meaningful reform of NFIP,” said the aide.
