weartv.com
by Jackalyn Kovac
Wednesday, May 3rd 2017
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) — Some beach homeowners believe an increase to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) damage threshold that could mean the end of coastal living for a lot of people in Northwest Florida.
The agency wants states to pick up a bigger share of the damage costs from natural disasters before the agency comes in to help.
When major storms come through Florida, many people look to FEMA for help cleaning up debris and other emergency measures.
But the agency is looking to increase what is the state’s deductible to have them pay for five times the amount it does now, before turning to FEMA for help.
Al Greene and his wife have lived on Pensacola Beach since 1999. They made it through Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis more than 10 years ago.
“I remember my house being torn down, put in a truck and it disappeared down the street. They took all of that and they landfilled it someplace and that was all done with FEMA money,” Greene recalled. “I don’t know exactly how they could avoid stepping in. You would have an unhealthy situation.”
FEMA’s website shows the proposed increase would be the result of a new Public Assistance Deductible Program.
