The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is one of the nation’s most important tools for reducing risk to individuals and communities from flooding. Established in 1968, the NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). To participate in the program, communities must adopt floodplain management ordinances that comply with the federal standards in 44 CFR 59 and 44 CFR 60. These ordinances define flood districts, establish building and land use requirements, and prescribe enforcement mechanisms for development occurring within those districts. To support local floodplain management programs, FEMA provides Flood Insurance Studies (FIS), Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs), and other tools to communities. Nearly all Hampton Roads communities participate in the NFIP, with the only exceptions being the town of Surry in Surry County and the town of Capron in Southampton County.

Although the Code of Federal Regulations establishes minimum standards for local programs, the NFIP has created an additional program that rewards localities for going above and beyond the baseline. Through the Community Rating System (CRS), communities can implement additional practices that earn points towards their CRS Class. Communities earn points for activities like adopting higher standards (such as requiring new construction to be built above the base flood elevation), conducting education and outreach on flood risk and flood insurance, and preserving open space in the floodplain. Some of the actions Hampton Roads communities are taking are documented in the HRPDC’s Resiliency Programs and Policies Story Map. For every 500 points a community earns, policy holders in those communities receive a 5% discount on their NFIP flood insurance policy premiums, up to a maximum discount of 45% in Class 1 communities.

This month’s Map of the Month shows the CRS Class ratings for Hampton Roads communities. Ten Hampton Roads communities participate in the CRS: Chesapeake, Franklin, Gloucester County, Hampton, James City County, Newport News, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and York County. Both James City County and Norfolk are Class 5 communities, currently the highest in the entire Commonwealth of Virginia, which earns policy holders in those communities a 25% discount on their premiums. The table below lists the classes and policy discounts for each participating community as of April 1, 2022. By participating in the CRS, these communities are providing a financial benefit to many of their residents and helping reduce their overall flood risk.