LTC 407-2022 Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation Program (PPA) Update407-2022
MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # LETTER TO COMM ISSION
TO :
FROM :
Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
Alina T . Hudak, City Mana ~
September 26, 2022 -l.f \ v
1
DATE :
SUBJECT : Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation Program (PPA) Update
I am pleased to provide a progress update for the Fight the Flood Private Property Adaptation
Program. This is 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. Based on the verification
and review phase, the city has identified 46 properties for participation in this unique program to
build personal resilience.
BEACH
~!SI NG
A BOVE
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 leorn more .
FEMA Federal Mitigation Assistance
(FMA) Grant
As part of the PPA program, the city is
working with ICF, a consultant, to assist
property owners in applying for a FEMA
Federal Mitigation Assistance grant to
fund home elevation. Extensive outreach
was conducted, aiming to attract more
properties with flood claims to have a
more competitive and comprehensive
application. A Notice of Intent was
submitted on Sept 20, 2022 to Florida
Division of Emergency Management. ICF
will continue to work to develop thorough
applications with an estimated three
property owners.
We are pleased to facilitate the grants
process for homeowners apply for funding
for home elevation. Since home elevation
is not common on Miami Beach, this program is an exciting opportunity to add a new strategy to
make our residents and our city more resilient. The PPA timeline is being accelerated to meet the
federal grant deadlines for November 2022.
Application Update
The application period was open to residents from July 25 th to August 19 th , 2022 . To ensure broad
outreach, the city utilized a variety of in-person and digital outreach . The city hosted three
webinars, eight days of in-person and virtual "office hour" appointments, extensive
communications channels, targeted post cards to repetitive flood loss areas, social media ads,
and a short PSA video . Additionally , the Miami Herald provided coverage of the program, helping
to amplify the outreach .
Overall, 65 applications were submitted for the program. A thorough verification process was
completed to ensure general completeness and accuracy, with the expertise of six different
departments (City Attorney's Office, Building, Planning, Public Works, Code, Finance, and
Housing and Community Services). Based on the verification process, 56 applications continued
to formal review .
After the verification, applications were scored according to objective criteria . The formal review
team reviewed each property application, the scoring , and additional materials such as photos.
The team consisted of Amy Knowles, Chief Resilience Officer; Judy Hoanshelt, Director of Grants
and Intergovernmental Affairs, Mohsen Jarahpour, Building Department Floodplain Manager, and
Eugene Egemba, Public Works Principal Engineer.
The applicant pool included seven verified historic properties, seven verified Low-to-Moderate
Income properties , and 39 properties that advised they have experienced some level of flooding .
There were 42 single family homes and 14 multi-family properties. The applicants are located
through the city, with Mid Beach (23) holding the greatest number of applications, followed by
North Beach (21) and South Beach (12).
Next Steps
Applicants will be notified of selection to the PPA program in October. Brizaga, the consultant
selected for the assessment phase, will conduct pilot assessments on three city properties in
October. Assessments of private properties are expected to be concluded by Spring of 2023. An
Invitation to Bid (1TB) is in development for a pool of consultants that will carry out the property
improvements.
Private property adaptation is a vital component to Miami Beach's overall climate resilience
planning, and we are pleased to provide this unique and innovative opportunity to help property
owners reduce their flood risk.
For questions or feedback, please contact Amy Knowles, Chief Resilience Officer, at
amykn owl es @miambeachfl .gov.
c)iK/JB