LEE COUNTY, Fla. — On Friday, multiple communities in Southwest Florida learned that residents will continue to benefit from discounts on the National Flood Insurance Program's premiums - which can save homeowners up to 25%.
This comes after a March decision from FEMA informing Lee County and communities within the county that the organization was canceling discount on the premiums - impacting nearly 700,000 people who lives in the area.
The decision impacts those of you living in the following communities:
- Cape Coral
- Estero
- Fort Myers Beach
- Bonita Springs
- Unincorporated Lee County
FEMA cited permit-less work and a lack of documentation as some of the reasons for the discount's elimination.
In April, Lee County's Board of County Commissioners voted to give county staff “any and all tools” necessary to investigate the FEMA decision and find a way to appeal.
The decision would have gone into effect on October 1st.
On Friday, we heard from some of the communities listed above.
Here's a statement the City of Cape Coral received from FEMA regarding the reversed decision:
"Our team has completed its review of the city's compliance with the minimum floodplain management standards and everything that has been done to correct any deficiencies and violations. We acknowledge the work invested by you and your team has resulted in some improvements to meet minimum floodplain management standards, and I appreciate your leadership in this area. However, as the City of Cape Coral continues to recover from Hurricane Ian, FEMA finds that outstanding compliance issues remain. FEMA will not retrograde the City of Cape Coral's class rating at this time."
FOX 4's Colton Chavez spoke with Cape Coral's mayor on Friday regarding the decision.
Colton Chavez: "Any hard feelings left for FEMA?"
Mayor John Gunter, City of Cape Coral: "Again like I said before, I think we both have learned through this process and it's a team effort. I think some of the things they may have identified wasn't totally accurate, but I'm sure there were some instances on our side as well."
The elimination of the discount did not impact Fort Myers.
