502-Repetative Loss letter 4.12.2020Dear Resident or Property Owner:You have received this letter because your property is in an area that has been flooded several times. Our community is concerned about repetitive flooding
and wants to help you protect yourself and your property from future flooding. For any questions, feel free to contact me at the phone number or email above. You can:1.Check with the
Office of Planning and Sustainability on the extent of past flooding in your area. We can tell you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what
would be an appropriate flood protection level. The staff can visit your property to discuss flood protection alternatives.2.Prepare for flooding by:Know how to shut off the electricity
and gas to your house when a flood comes.Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go.Make a household inventory, especially of basement contents.Put insurance policies,
valuable papers, medicine, etc., in a safe place.Collect and put cleaning supplies, camera, waterproof boots, etc., in a handy place.Develop a disaster response plan. (See Red Cross’s
website at www.redcross.org to learn how to prepare your home and family for a disaster.)Get a copy of Repairing Your Flooded Home. It is also available at the Red Cross’ website.3.Consider
some permanent flood protection measures.Mark your fuse or breaker box to show the circuits to the floodable areas. Turning off the power to the basement before a flood can reduce property
damage and save lives.Consider elevating your house above flood levels.Check your building for water entry points, such as basement windows, the basement stairwell, doors, and dryer
vents. These can be protected with low walls or temporary shields.Install a floor drain plug, standpipe, overhead sewer, or sewer backup valve to prevent sewer backup flooding.More information
can be found at FEMA’s website, www.ready.gov/floods.Note that some flood protection measures may need a building permit and others may not be safe for your type of building, so be sure
to talk to the Building Department.4.Talk to Planning & Sustainability for information on financial assistance.The City is happy to work with you to seek out grant funds to help with
flood protection improvements, elevating a structure above the flood level, or selling the land to the City for open space.5.Get a flood insurance policy.Homeowner’s insurance policies
do not cover damage from floods. However, because our community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy. This insurance
is backed by the Federal government and is available to everyone, even properties that have been flooded. Because our community participates in the Community Rating System, you will
receive a reduction in the insurance premium.IF your area is not mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area, you may qualify for a lower-cost Preferred Risk Policy.Some people have purchased
flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they got a mortgage or home improvement loan. Usually these policies just cover the building’s structure and not the contents.
During the kind of flooding that happens in your area, there is usually more damage to the furniture and contents than there is to the structure. Be sure you have contents coverage.Don’t
wait for the next flood to buy insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30-day waiting period before National Flood Insurance Program coverage takes effect.Contact your insurance
agent for more information on rates and coverage.Thanks for helping make Northampton a safer place.Sincerely,Wayne Feiden, FAICPDirector of Planning & Sustainability
Dear Resident or Property Owner:
You have received this letter because your property is in an area that has been flooded several times. Our
community is concerned about repetitive flooding and wants to help you protect yourself and your property from
future flooding. For any questions, feel free to contact me at the phone number or email above. You can:
1. Check with the Office of Planning and Sustainability on the extent of past flooding in your area. We can tell
you about the causes of repetitive flooding, what the City is doing about it, and what would be an appropriate
flood protection level. The staff can visit your property to discuss flood protection alternatives.
2. Prepare for flooding by:
− Know how to shut off the electricity and gas to your house when a flood comes.
− Make a list of emergency numbers and identify a safe place to go.
− Make a household inventory, especially of basement contents.
− Put insurance policies, valuable papers, medicine, etc., in a safe place.
− Collect and put cleaning supplies, camera, waterproof boots, etc., in a handy place.
− Develop a disaster response plan. (See Red Cross’s website at www.redcross.org to learn how to prepare
your home and family for a disaster.)
− Get a copy of Repairing Your Flooded Home. It is also available at the Red Cross’ website.
3. Consider some permanent flood protection measures.
− Mark your fuse or breaker box to show the circuits to the floodable areas. Turning off the power to the
basement before a flood can reduce property damage and save lives.
− Consider elevating your house above flood levels.
− Check your building for water entry points, such as basement windows, the basement stairwell, doors, and
dryer vents. These can be protected with low walls or temporary shields.
− Install a floor drain plug, standpipe, overhead sewer, or sewer backup valve to prevent sewer backup
flooding.
− More information can be found at FEMA’s website, www.ready.gov/floods.
− Note that some flood protection measures may need a building permit and others may not be safe for your
type of building, so be sure to talk to the Building Department.
4. Talk to Planning & Sustainability for information on financial assistance.
− The City is happy to work with you to seek out grant funds to help with flood protection improvements,
elevating a structure above the flood level, or selling the land to the City for open space.
5. Get a flood insurance policy.
− Homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover damage from floods. However, because our community
participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood insurance policy.
This insurance is backed by the Federal government and is available to everyone, even properties that have
been flooded. Because our community participates in the Community Rating System, you will receive a
reduction in the insurance premium.
− IF your area is not mapped as a Special Flood Hazard Area, you may qualify for a lower‐cost Preferred Risk
Policy.
− Some people have purchased flood insurance because it was required by the bank when they got a mortgage
or home improvement loan. Usually these policies just cover the building’s structure and not the contents.
During the kind of flooding that happens in your area, there is usually more damage to the furniture and
contents than there is to the structure. Be sure you have contents coverage.
− Don’t wait for the next flood to buy insurance protection. In most cases, there is a 30‐day waiting period
before National Flood Insurance Program coverage takes effect.
− Contact your insurance agent for more information on rates and coverage.
Thanks for helping make Northampton a safer place.
Sincerely,
Wayne Feiden, FAICP
Director of Planning & Sustainability