NFIP 
Listening 
Session 
Washington, 
DC, 
November 
5-6, 
2009 


Content 
Analysis 
of 
Breakout 
Session 
Comments 




NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session 
November 
5-6, 
2009 



Table 
of 
Contents 
I. 
ANALYSIS 
APPROACH...........................................................................................................................3 
II. 
COMMON 
THEMES 
...............................................................................................................................3 
III. 
FREQUENCY 
OF 
THEMES 
ACROSS 
TOPICS 
............................................................................................5 


2 



NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session 
November 
5-6, 
2009 



I. 
ANALYSIS 
APPROACH 
A 
comprehensive 
analysis 
was 
conducted 
of 
stakeholder 
comments 
received 
at 
the 
November 
5-6, 
2009 
NFIP 
Listening 
Session 
in 
Washington, 
DC. 
Using 
a 
multi-step 
process, 
key 
themes 
and 
sub-themes 
were 
identified 
across 
all 
of 
the 
topics 
and 
breakout 
sessions 
for 
both 
days. 


Steps 
then 
were 
taken 
to 
complete 
the 
analysis: 


. 
Organized 
comments 
with 
unique 
identifiers 
by 
day/topic; 


. 
Reviewed 
comments 
for 
general 
themes 
and 
basic 
understanding; 


. 
Summarized 
prevalent 
themes; 


. 
Assigned 
comments 
to 
the 
appropriate 
theme(s); 
and 


. 
Calculated 
the 
frequency 
for 
each 
theme 
across 
topics. 


NOTE: 
Some 
comments 
conveyed 
messages 
relevant 
to 
multiple 
themes, 
and 
were 
categorized 
as 
such. 


II. 
COMMON 
THEMES 
The 
following 
list 
describes 
the 
12 
themes 
and 
the 
corresponding 
sub-themes 
found 
among 
all 
comments 
received 
at 
the 
2009 
NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session. 
The 
stakeholder 
listening 
session 
was 
attended 
by 
more 
than 
170 
participants 
comprised 
of 
representatives 
from 
federal, 
tribal, 
state 
and 
local 
governments, 
private 
sector 
and 
non-governmental 
agencies. 
The 
included 
sub-themes 
could 
signify 
either 
side 
of 
the 
issue 
represented 
in 
a 
theme. 
They 
were 
included 
to 
show 
the 
range 
of 
views 
represented 
on 
any 
given 
topic. 


NOTE: 
The 
below 
themes 
are 
numbered 
for 
identification 
purposes 
only, 
they 
are 
not 
a 
reflection 
of 
rank. 


Theme 
1: 
Expand 
the 
risk 
pool 


• 
Enforce 
current 
mandates 
• 
Grandfathering 
• 
Mandate 
flood 
insurance 
policies 
for 
at 
risk 
properties 
• 
Don’t 
tie 
to 
mortgage 
loans, 
attach 
to 
alternative 
source 
like, 
property 
taxes, 
homeowners 
insurance, 
etc. 
Theme 
2: 
Modify 
the 
definitions 
and 
process 
for 
calculating 
risk, 
rates 
and 
coverage 


• 
Continue 
to 
improve 
risk 
assessment 
(e.g. 
properties 
in 
close 
proximity 
to 
levees 
or 
that 
have 
experienced 
repetitive 
loss 
and 
the 
factoring 
in 
of 
catastrophic 
loss 
scenarios) 
• 
Coverage 
limits 
need 
to 
reflect 
the 
current 
values 
• 
Develop 
an 
algorithm 
for 
calculating 
rates 
based 
on 
risk 
• 
Look 
beyond 
the 
100 
year 
flood 
Theme 
3: 
Floodplain 
Management 
Plan 
standards 
and 
guidelines 


• 
Improved 
enforcement 
of 
current 
standards 
and 
update 
where 
necessary 
(e.g. 
raise 
the 
NFIP 
minimums) 
• 
Allow 
for 
variances 
based 
on 
local 
conditions 
• 
Mandate 
at 
the 
community 
level 
and 
leave 
oversight 
to 
the 
state/local 
level 
3 



NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session 
November 
5-6, 
2009 



Theme 
4: 
Evaluate 
and 
improve 
the 
handing 
of 
Repetitive 
Loss 
Properties 
(including 
expedite 
a 
post-disaster 
buy-out 
option) 


Theme 
5: 
Make 
historical 
data 
readily 
available 
to 
the 
general 
public 
(e.g. 
claims, 
premiums 
and 
other 
rate 
data) 


Theme 
6: 
Mitigate 
risk 
using 
existing 
tools 


• 
Write/Re-Write 
codes 
for 
maximum 
mitigation 
of 
risk 
• 
More 
consistent 
enforcement 
of 
code 
• 
Make 
use 
of 
Executive 
Orders 
• 
Make 
use 
of 
the 
Endangered 
Species 
Act 
• 
Make 
use 
of 
National 
Environmental 
Policy 
Act 
• 
Make 
use 
of 
all 
applicable 
government 
policy 
(e.g. 
historic 
preservation) 
Theme 
7: 
Increase 
incentives 
(e.g. 
state, 
community 
and 
individual 
levels) 


• 
Comply 
with 
building 
codes 
• 
Incorporate 
natural 
functions 
into 
the 
process 
• 
Responsible 
land 
use/Environmentally 
sound 
approach 
Theme 
8: 
Improve 
risk 
maps 


• 
Increase 
amount 
of 
content 
collected 
and 
published 
. 
Breadth 
and 
depth 
. 
Past, 
present 
and 
future 
data 
(extend 
beyond 
100 
year 
flood 
mark, 
consider 
sea 
level 
erosion 
(climate 
change 
related 
factors) 
and 
other 
environmental 
elements) 


• 
Increase 
accuracy 
(real-time) 
• 
Represent 
risk 
in 
a 
tiered 
and 
gradient 
format 
and 
identify 
no-build 
zones 
when 
risk 
is 
at 
its 
highest 
level 
(high, 
medium, 
low) 
• 
Improve 
functionality 
for 
the 
heterogeneous 
group 
of 
end-users 
(layer 
the 
content) 
Theme 
9: 
Subsidies 
need 
to 
be 
addressed 
in 
a 
definitive 
manner 


• 
Terminate 
subsidies 
• 
Subsidies 
are 
outside 
of 
FEMA’s 
scope 
• 
Refine 
the 
criteria 
for 
receiving 
them 
Theme 
10: 
Overall 
take 
on 
the 
NFIP 


• 
Privatize 
the 
program 
and 
let 
the 
private 
sector 
fill 
the 
void 
• 
Privatize 
program, 
but 
have 
government 
re-insure 
as 
backstop 
for 
catastrophic 
losses 
• 
Semi-privatize 
the 
program 
to 
allow 
for 
the 
investment 
and 
growth 
of 
cash 
reserves 
• 
Leave 
it 
alone, 
things 
are 
great! 
Theme 
11: 
Communication 
needs 
to 
become 
a 
priority 


• 
Clarity 
. 
NFIP 
goals 
. 
Benefits 
of 
flood 
insurance 
. 
Process 
and 
rules 
(may 
require 
training/education) 
. 
Tailor 
messages 
to 
the 
intended 
audience, 
‘one-size 
doesn’t 
fit 
all’ 
. 
Federal 
agencies 
need 
to 
speak 
with 
one 
voice 
• 
Frequency 
. 
Open 
and 
expand 
channels 
of 
communication 
(e.g. 
signage, 
websites, 
television, 
media 
events, 
etc.) 
sooner 
rather 
than 
later 
with 
audiences 
(Federal/state/local 
partners, 
builders, 
banks, 


4 



NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session 
November 
5-6, 
2009 



property 
owners, 
advocacy 
groups, 
etc.) 
on 
all 
NFIP 
matters 
– 
start 
building 
critical 
mass 
early-
on 


Theme 
12: 
Miscellaneous 
(includes 
comments 
that 
touched 
on 
themes 
that 
were 
outliers 
when 
compared 
to 
the 
frequency 
of 
the 
other 
11) 


III. 
FREQUENCY 
OF 
THEMES 
ACROSS 
TOPICS 
The 
following 
table 
identifies 
the 
frequency 
of 
the 
12 
themes 
across 
all 
topics 
(most 
often 
to 
least 
often) 
at 
the 
2009 
NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session. 
This 
indicates 
which 
themes 
are 
most 
important 
to 
the 
stakeholders 
and 
may 
be 
helpful 
for 
DHS/FEMA 
staff 
to 
review 
prior 
to 
developing 
next 
steps 
for 
the 
NFIP. 


Most 
Frequent 
Themes 
(in 
order) 
# 
of 
Comments 
% 
of 
Overall 
Comments 
Theme 
11: 
Communication 
needs 
to 
become 
a 
priority 
266 
21% 
Theme 
8: 
Improve 
risk 
maps 
260 
20% 
Theme 
2 
: 
Modify 
the 
definitions 
and 
process 
for 
calculating 
risk, 
rates 
and 
coverage 
194 
15% 
Theme 
3: 
Floodplain 
Management 
Plan 
standards 
and 
guidelines 
119 
9% 
Theme 
1: 
Expand 
the 
risk 
pool 
102 
8% 
Theme 
9: 
Subsidies 
need 
to 
be 
addressed 
in 
a 
definitive 
manner 
96 
7% 
Theme 
10: 
Overall 
take 
on 
NFIP 
88 
7% 
Theme 
7: 
Increase 
incentives 
(state, 
community 
and 
individual 
levels) 
58 
5% 
Theme 
6: 
Mitigate 
risk 
using 
existing 
tools 
35 
3% 
Theme 
12: 
Miscellaneous 
(includes 
comments 
that 
touched 
on 
themes 
that 
were 
outliers 
when 
compared 
to 
the 
frequency 
of 
the 
other 
11) 
28 
2% 
Theme 
5 
: 
Make 
historical 
data 
readily 
available 
to 
the 
general 
public 
(e.g. 
claims, 
premiums 
and 
other 
rate 
data) 
20 
2% 
Theme 
4: 
Evaluate 
and 
improve 
the 
handing 
of 
Repetitive 
Loss 
Properties 
(including 
expedite 
post-disaster 
buy-out 
option) 
19 
1% 


5 



NFIP 
Stakeholder 
Listening 
Session 
November 
5-6, 
2009 



The 
following 
are 
the 
three 
most 
frequent 
themes 
from 
the 
above 
table 
paired 
with 
example 
participant 
comments 
selected 
to 
provide 
context 
for 
the 
theme: 


Theme 
11: 
Communication 
must 
continue 
to 
be 
a 
priority 


• 
Clarity 
. 
NFIP 
goals 
. 
Benefits 
of 
flood 
insurance 
. 
Process 
and 
rules 
(may 
require 
training/education) 
. 
Tailor 
messages 
to 
the 
intended 
audience, 
‘one-size 
doesn’t 
fit 
all’ 
. 
Federal 
agencies 
need 
to 
speak 
with 
one 
voice 
• 
Frequency 
. 
Open 
and 
expand 
channels 
of 
communication 
(signage, 
websites, 
television, 
media 
events, 
etc.) 
sooner 
rather 
than 
later 
with 
audiences 
(Federal/state/local 
partners, 
builders, 
banks, 
property 
owners, 
advocacy 
groups, 
etc.) 
on 
all 
NFIP 
matters 
– 
start 
building 
critical 
mass 
early-on 


Theme 
8: 
Improve 
risk 
maps 


• 
Increase 
amount 
of 
content 
collected 
and 
published 
. 
Breadth 
and 
depth 
. 
Past, 
present 
and 
future 
data 
(extend 
beyond 
100 
year 
flood 
mark, 
consider 
sea 
level 
erosion 
(climate 
change 
related 
factors) 
and 
other 
environmental 
elements) 


• 
Increase 
accuracy 
(real-time) 
• 
Represent 
risk 
in 
a 
tiered 
and 
gradient 
format 
and 
identify 
no-build 
zones 
when 
risk 
is 
at 
its 
highest 
level 
(high, 
medium, 
low) 
• 
Improve 
functionality 
for 
the 
heterogeneous 
group 
of 
end-users 
(layer 
the 
content) 
“Maps, 
zoning 
and 
insurance 
should 
be 
connected. 
There 
is 
a 
nexus.” 


Theme 
2: 
Modify 
the 
definitions 
and 
process 
for 
calculating 
risk, 
rates 
and 
coverage 


• 
Base 
on 
actual 
risk 
(e.g. 
properties 
in 
close 
proximity 
to 
levees 
or 
that 
have 
experience 
repetitive 
loss 
and 
the 
factoring 
in 
of 
catastrophic 
loss 
scenarios) 
• 
Coverage 
limits 
need 
to 
reflect 
the 
current 
values 
• 
Develop 
an 
algorithm 
for 
calculating 
rates 
based 
on 
risk 
• 
Look 
beyond 
the 
100 
year 
flood 
“Set 
rates 
based 
on 
risk. 
Someone 
likely 
to 
get 
6" 
of 
water 
should 
not 
pay 
the 
same 
rates 
as 
someone 
likely 
to 
get 
6' 
of 
water.” 


6