NEW HAVEN, CT – In recent years, the City of New Haven has experienced several heavy rainstorms and coastal storms that have caused flooding in areas of the city, occasionally resulting in impassable roads, damage to property, and potential threats to public health and safety.
“More extreme weather and stronger storms driven by a warming climate require all of us to prepare accordingly. As a city, we’re making the critical infrastructure investments needed to help mitigate flooding hazards and to sure up our resiliency with several projects underway and in the pipeline,” said Mayor Justin Elicker. “It’s critical that residents prepare accordingly as well, and I encourage New Haveners to be Flood Smart and to learn more about the ways they can help protect themselves and their property from potential threats caused by more severe weather and flooding.”
According to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), “floods are the most common and costly natural disasters in the United States” – and, as a coastal city, certain areas of New Haven are at particular risk.
To help address this, the City of New Haven is continuously working to improve its preparedness for natural disasters — including floods, severe storms, hurricanes, and other major weather events – and to foster community resilience and awareness through various educational and public information efforts.
To better protect themselves and their property from the potential threats caused by flooding and natural disasters, residents are encouraged to:
- Check FEMA’s interactive map to see if their property is in a FEMA Flood Hazard Zone at msc.fema.gov;
- Learn more about being Flood Smart and the National Flood Insurance Program at floodsmart.gov;
- Visit the City of New Haven’s Flood Information Page at newhavenct.gov/flood or contact the City Plan Department for more information at (203) 946-7842.
In 2023, the City of New Haven in coordination with the Southern Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG) created an updated Hazard Mitigation Plan to help manage the region’s potential flood hazards and to help mitigate against potential threats and damage from flooding events and has since advanced a myriad of action projects and strategies.
As part of the plan, the City Plan Department annually prepares and provides an update on the progress of these projects and strategies for the public to review.
- The 2023 SCRCOG Hazard Mitigation Plan Update can be found >> at this link
- The 2023 New Haven Projects Update Table can be found >> at this link
These annual updates are also a component of the City of New Haven’s participation in the FEMA Community Rating System (CRS), a “voluntary incentive program that recognizes and encourages community planning management practices that exceed the minimum requirements of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).”
New Haven’s participation in the program facilities flood insurance discounts of 15 percent for residents and New Haven is one of 1,500 communities nationwide that participate in the FEMA Community Rating System program.
Per FEMA, “in CRS communities, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community’s efforts that address the three goals of the program: 1) Reduce and avoid flood damage to insurable property; 2) Strengthen and support the insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program, and 3) Foster comprehensive floodplain management.”
PRESS CONTACT
Lenny H. Speiller; (203) 725-4249; Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov
