LTC 277-2022 Announcement of the Summer 2022 Launch of the Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation Program (PPA),.
MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 277-2022 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: ers of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Mana e
DATE: July 11, 2022
SUBJECT: Announcement of the Summer 2022 Launch of the Fight the Flood Private Property
Adaptation Program (PPA)
I am pleased to announce the launch of our Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation Program,
a competitive, reimbursement-based grant intended to incentivize residential and commercial
property owners in understanding their flood risk and implementing flood mitigation projects.
Properties selected for the program will receive funding through a 50/50 matching grant, with up
to $20,000 available for the full scope of work, including the assessment. In addition, if the
applicant is considered low-to-moderate income (LMI), the PPA will fund the entirety of the
program, up to $20,000, without the match requirement.
By building resilience at the individual level, this will foster a more resilient city. Given the
significant flood risk faced by Miami Beach, this program is intended to help older homes and
businesses built with lower elevation before the existence of improved elevation standards. The
program is a first of its kind and has been carefully developed though market, industry and best
practice research, an online poll, and focus group. These improvements will reduce the risk of
flooding and combat the effects of climate change and sea level rise, addressing the flooding
caused by increased stormwater, rising groundwater levels, tidal levels, and storm surges.
Launch Dates and Informational Workshops
The application will be open to residents from July 25th to August 19th, 2022. The application will
be available by visiting www.mbrisinqabove.com/ppa. Informational virtual workshops will be held
on July 21 st at 6:00pm, and August 2nd at 8:30am, with additional workshops and in-person visits
to be offered as needed.
Funding and Implementation
This program is being made possible due to the leadership of the Mayor and City Commission,
and with special acknowledgement for the late Commissioner Mark Samuelian, the sponsor of
the funding and program. Resolution No. 2020-31504 created a new "Miami Beach Resilience
Fund" and allocated $666,666.66 for FY 2020 and up to $666,666.66 annually thereafter for this
program. Through RFQ 2021-349-KB, a prime consultant was selected for the first Phase of this
program-Brizaga-who is assisting with the program development and assessment phase. An
additional procurement process will be carried out for the selection of consultant(s) to conduct the
next phase.
The program is divided into two Phases-Assessment and Improvement-further described in
summary below. We intend on launching Phase 1 in Summer 2022, and it will be our primary
focus for the rest of the current year.
Phase 1: Assessment
• Applicants will apply online via a 3rd party platform that will be linked on the website,
mbrisingabove.com/ppa. The application collects owner information, property details,
demographic information, and information about flooding and damage.
o Required documents: a valid form of state/federal ID, Elevation Certificate, Year of
Construction, and Proof of Flood Insurance.
o Optional information: Historic Designation, Income.
• After the submission window closes, an internal team of reviewers will go over the
applications. All applications will be reviewed, evaluated, and prioritized according to
available funds. Application does not guarantee funding. Applications will be prioritized
according to the following criteria:
o Elevation
o Residential
o ResidenU Primary Residence
o Historic Designation
o Area of Flooding
o Low to Moderate Income
o Flood Insurance Claim
o Flooding Experienced
o Flooding Evidence
• If the applicant is selected for the program, the consultant team will analyze the flood risk
of the property and provide an assessment report with recommendations as to what kind
of improvements can mitigate this risk, in addition to providing estimated costs. This
information will be provided to the property owner as an easily digestible report.
Phase 2: Improvement
• Interested applicants will work with the consultant team to select recommendations from
the options listed in the assessment.
• The property owner will cover all costs and submit for reimbursement once the full
project scope is completed. For LMI properties, the contractor will cover the costs and be
reimbursed.
• Phase 2 is still under development and will be further refined from the lessons learned
through Phase 1.
Home Elevation and Existing Projects
• FEMA Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA} grant: residential properties interested in
home elevation will go through a separate process to apply for the FMA grant. Applicants
who are eligible for FEMA assistance may receive 75% or more in federal assistance for
property elevation and are also eligible for up to $20,000 in match funding from the PPA
Program. The City will work with the consultant, ICF, to assist property owners in applying
for an FMA grant.
• Existing projects: applications will be accepted for properties with an ongoing resilient
flood mitigation project. The property must be in the permitting phase, as long as the permit
is still in "applied" status. Projects will be considered for eligibility within the wider pool of
applicants. No preference will be given to on-going projects.
We are delighted to provide this unique and innovative opportunity. The program will be widely
communicated through city engagement channels. We welcome a new era of private property
flood protection that withstands the continuously evolving changes to our climate and rising sea
levels.
For questions or feedback, please contact Chief Resilience Officer Amy Knowles at
amyknowles@miambeachfl.gov.
you for your support and cooperation.
MIAMI BEACH
RISING
ABOVE
Fight the Flood
Our Private Property Adaptation program is
awarding up to $20,000 in matching funds for
selected applicants to help analyze your property's
flood risk and implement flood improvements.
Visit mbrisingabove.com/ppa to learn more.