Some homeowners may be required to purchase flood insurance after new FEMA floodplain mapping

HOWARD COUNTY, Md. — Some Howard County property owners may need to purchase flood insurance when they didn’t need it before after FEMA has updated its floodplain maps.

Letters from Howard County’s Department of Public Works were sent out recently, alerting those who may be impacted and inviting them to a public information session.

An estimated 100 buildings have been moved into the floodplains, while an estimated 110 buildings have been moved out in the preliminary maps for Howard County which you can review here.

“It’s pretty much countywide. It may be several houses in a neighborhood. It might just be one house in a neighborhood,” stormwater management chief Mark Richmond explained.

The county is hosting an information session at the Capitoline Center, the old circuit courthouse, on Wednesday, October 7 from 6-8 p.m.

Lisa Pellegrino received a letter and opened it right away.

A small portion on the edge of her property has now been upgraded to what’s known as a “Special Flood Hazard Area, which FEMA requires flood insurance for if the owner has a federally backed mortgage.

“There's no way, at least for my house and the ones immediately adjacent to me, that we are ever going to have this sort of claim. So it's just another financial burden for us,” Pellegrino said.

But Richmond says there may be some wiggle room, depending on the situation.

“Typically, if the building your residence is within the floodplain, they will require flood insurance. If just a small portion of your backyard is in the floodplain, then typically they wouldn't require it, but again it's up to your lender to decide,” Richmond explained.

It’s yet to be determined if Pellegrino does need to upgrade her insurance. But she has a plan if that is, indeed, the case, recognizing that not everyone in her shoes might have the ability to.

“If they push forward with this, I may just take the hit to my savings account and just get rid of my mortgage because it's frankly ridiculous for us to have to carry this coverage,” she said.

Though, even if you may not be required to have flood insurance, Richmond says it’s something to definitely consider.

Anyone who lives in Howard County qualifies for a 25% reduction in flood insurance premiums due to the county’s “Category 5” status through FEMA’s Community Rating System.

The maps are not expected to be finalized until next year. There is an appeals process through December that allows technical merit concerns to be submitted.