Thousands of Miami-Dade homeowners will soon get a big discount on flood insurance
MIAMI — Lola Edge lives in unincorporated Miami-Dade and in a flood zone.
"The house is not paid for, you have to have flood insurance," she told CBS News Miami.
Edge, 73, has lived in her house in Northwest Miami-Dade for over a quarter of a century. She's on a set income and for the last few years, her policy has increased.
"That's where I am now -- $503 a year for flood insurance," said Edge sitting in front of her house.
According to Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava, that could change in less than three months: "Homeowners and business owners in unincorporated Miami Dade will receive a 35% discount on their flood insurance premiums."
And, all that thanks to a pump station working in full gear at Northwest Miami-Dade, which will now be suctioning water in flooded areas of unincorporated Miami-Dade. According to the Department of Public Works, that has a price tag of $21 million.
"75% of the cost was picked up by FEMA," Cava said.
As a result, the county earned the new discount after proving to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that it had done a lot in recent years to address flooding risks, like new development rules that take flooding into account and better mapping of the risks across the county.
"These types of updates are critical to ensure that our communities can manage the stormwater and coastal water, especially with the increase that we are seeing as a result of climate change," said FEMA Director Deanne Criswell.
Miami-Dade is now one of only 19 communities across the country that has been upgraded in the FEMA's community rating system. The county is now class 3, it was class 5, which is considered a big improvement.
Based on Edge's policy, her discount should be approximately $175 a year
"I can take that money and put it to something else," said a now-optimistic Edge, who has been struggling to pay bills.
According to Miami-Dade County and FEMA, up to 100,000 residents will see a 35% discount in their flood insurance starting April 1.