Show the neighborhood
how it will look underwater.

Seeing the costs of coastal flooding up closeIf you want to motivate your hometown to protect against the costs of coastal flooding, now may be a good time. During the next six weeks, we’re going to see a lot of pictures of flooded properties, as the National Flood Insurance Program is set to expire September 30th. The program could be renewed. Or renewed with dramatically higher premiums. Or trashed entirely in favor of free-market insurance. Hold your breath.

Those in favor of continuing the NFIP point to the critical help it gives home and business owners after a storm. These claims payments can also brighten damaged neighborhoods and take pressure off slender municipal finances. Those opposed point out that below-risk premiums encourage bad building choices. These keep owners from buying insurance on the commercial market, placing those under-covered costs of coastal flooding on all of us, as federal taxpayers.

There are many actions you can encourage your municipality to take to cut local flood risks. Zoning and building regulations can discourage building in the flood plain or require raised flood-resistant homes. Bigger applications for state and federal grants can fund construction of levees, berms and other flood barriers. Removable waterproof fences can protect public buildings and critical services.

In New York City a non-profit created FloodHelpNY to educate residents and local voters about the dangers of flooding. They’ve installed pop-up stations that show virtual-reality images of Greenwich Village and Little Italy decimated by flood waters. The organization’s website is one of the best to help you understand the costs of coastal flooding and what you can do about them. Across the country, other groups pushing to continue national flood insurance have been Photoshopping images to raise awareness of local flood dangers.

The most persuasive images, however, may soon arrive on our television sets. After all, the Atlantic and Gulf Coast hurricane season that’s just begun is forecast to be more dangerous than usual.