Program Overview and Priorities a. Program Overview The Community Assistance Program – State Support Services Element (CAP-SSSE) program provides funding to States to provide technical assistance to communities in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and to evaluate community performance in implementing NFIP floodplain management activities. b.

Program Priorities In Fiscal Year 2014, the CAP-SSSE program will focus on compliance and enforcement. While map adoption, disaster activities, training and other assistance activities remain important components of the program’s overall community assistance strategy, a credible compliance and enforcement program is essential to meet the program’s goals of flood loss reduction.

CAP-SSSE Eligible Activities and Requirements FEMA Regional Offices are to determine the appropriate levels of effort in each activity to ensure that performance metrics are being met. FEMA is requiring certain measures, and encouraging others, for some of the CAP-SSSE activities as described below. 1.

Community Assistance Visits (CAV) and Community Assistance Contacts (CAC): States participating in CAP-SSSE are required to conduct CAVs and CACs. States will be required to incorporate the risk-based prioritization as described in the National Flood Insurance Program Guidance for Conducting Community Assistance Contacts and Community Assistance Visits.

The Regions will work with each State to determine the number of CAVs and CACs to be conducted and to ensure that selection is based on the risk-based approach described above. Regions and States are encouraged to make maximum use of the CAC process and other contacts with communities to identify potential compliance problems and needs for technical assistance.

The document also provides guidance in planning for, conducting and providing follow-up for these activities. States must provide appropriate follow-up to CAVs and CACs by providing technical assistance to correct program deficiencies and remedy violations to the maximum extent possible. States must coordinate with Regions, as necessary, to clarify what follow-up is to be provided.

States are expected to refer community compliance problems that they are unable to resolve to the Regional Office. Headquarters staff will also be available for training at Regional CAP Conferences. All CAVs and CACs must be entered into CIS so that FEMA can monitor this important floodplain management activity.

2. Ordinance Assistance: Assisting communities in reviewing local ordinances to ensure compliance with NFIP requirements and adoption before Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) become effective is of paramount importance. This includes necessary ordinance revisions based upon new hazard data provided by FEMA, as well as incorporating any regulatory changes to meet minimum floodplain management criteria.

State Cooperative Agreements shall include a performance measure relating to map adoption. The metric will measure the percentage of participating communities that have an adopted ordinance referencing the updated map by the FIRM effective date. States must include a mandatory map adoption rate of 93% or higher into their cooperative agreement.

3. Strategic Planning: Strategic Planning is an optional task and provides an opportunity to assess the current status of a State program and plan for future year demands, find efficiencies, and explore opportunities for expanded services. In cooperation with FEMA, the Association of State Floodplain Managers (ASFPM) has developed a guidance document for strategic planning within State floodplain management programs.

The guidance document can be found at http://www. fema. gov/plan/prevent/floodplain/fema_cap-ssse.

shtm and www. floods. org.

4. CAP Gap Analysis: States may optionally choose to conduct an annual gap analysis by using the CAP GAP tool provided at http://www. fema.

gov/plan/prevent/floodplain/fema_cap-ssse. shtm. The data collected in the annual analyses has been used to create budget justifications for the current funding.

States who believe they may benefit from providing a more refined or revised GAP analysis may optionally submit this to the Region for future year consideration. The GAP analysis is also an important part of the strategic planning process and can be utilized by States in their planning efforts. 5.

State Model Ordinance Updates and Monitoring of State Regulatory Environment: Most States have developed a State model floodplain management ordinance containing the minimum requirements outlined in 44 CFR Section 60. 3, as well as any State required floodplain management provisions.

In addition, States are encouraged to offer their communities model ordinances that include higher regulatory standards and assist communities to update their model ordinances to include higher standards. States are also encouraged to monitor legal issues affecting floodplain management regulations and activities related to State building code adoption and modifications. a.

Model Building Codes: Many States adopt a building code that is based on one or more of the model codes developed by the International Code Council (the I-Codes) or the National Fire Protection Association. Most States require all or some communities to enforce the code. Unless modified by a State, the model codes contain NFIP-consistent provisions for buildings and structures.

FEMA and States must ensure an understanding of the implications that the enforcement of these codes have on the local regulatory environment in order to provide accurate technical assistance. States should review their model ordinances and work with communities to ensure that they understand the implications of these codes and how they are enforced with respect to NFIP requirements.

A model companion ordinance designed specifically to coordinate with building codes based on the I-Codes will be provided to the Regional Offices. State NFIP coordinators should coordinate with their counterparts in the State code commission or State agency that is responsible for the building code, especially with respect to interpretations that the code commission or State agency may be asked to issue.

The Building Science Branch at FEMA Headquarters is available upon request to provide training on the flood provisions of the International Codes at Regional CAP Conferences. 6.

Outreach, Workshops, and Other Training: States are encouraged to conduct outreach, workshops, and other training for local officials and other stakeholders, including insurance agents, lenders, adjustors, realtors, land surveyors, and design professionals to support implementation and enforcement of community floodplain management regulations, promotion of hazard identification, providing NFIP insurance training, and support of local and State planning initiatives.

States should conduct workshops and other training and outreach opportunities on a schedule and at locations that are coordinated with the FEMA Region. Other Training a. ASFPM Activities and Credentialing: FEMA encourages State floodplain management personnel to attain Certified Floodplain Manager (CFM) credentials.

State employees that are involved in floodplain management activities may use CAP-SSSE funds for costs associated with the initial exam and biennial CFM renewal fees. States are further encouraged to sponsor and proctor CFM exams in coordination with the ASFPM. Note: CAP- SSSE funding cannot be used to reimburse Individual ASFPM membership fees.

At the discretion of the Region, States may use limited CAP-SSSE funding to allow local officials to attend and/or assist with the annual ASFPM conference held within their State. These costs must be negotiated with the Region as part of the annual agreement. b.

CAP-SSSE funds may be used to reimburse travel costs associated with attendance by State floodplain management personnel at the ASFPM National Conference, FEMA Regional Office CAP-SSSE Coordination Meetings, and in-State Silver Jackets coordination meetings. Other national and regional meetings related to floodplain management may be considered for reimbursement if approved in advance by Regional Office CAP-SSSE staff. 7.

General Technical Assistance: States should provide general technical assistance to communities and individuals to resolve floodplain management issues related to the NFIP. 8. Enrollment of Communities: States should assist communities in joining the NFIP by providing technical assistance to ensure the community meets the minimum eligibility requirements for participation.

9. Community Rating System (CRS) Support: States should assist communities in joining the NFIP Community Rating System (CRS) through providing general technical assistance, conducting entry CAVs and providing support for activities credited by CRS. 10.

Mapping Coordination Assistance: As part of the Flood Map Modernization process and the FEMA Risk Map Initiative, States must work with the Regions to develop flood mapping priorities and participate in community meetings held as part of the mapping process. In addition to CAP-SSSE grants, States are eligible for Cooperating Technical Partner (CTP) Program Management funding to meet these responsibilities.

The CAP- SSSE plans must be developed separately from, but in coordination with, the CTP Program Management plans to ensure that CTP is used to complement CAP-SSSE activities and that States will meet all of their responsibilities under Flood Map Modernization and Risk Map. Neither CTP Program Management nor CAP-SSSE funds can be used for conducting floodplain studies or developing floodplain maps.

However, several activities are allowable under both grant programs, including map adoption, training, and outreach. Use of these resources should be closely coordinated to prevent duplication of effort. 11.

Coordination with Other State Programs and Agencies: States are encouraged to coordinate with other State administered programs that impact floodplain management such as the Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) that includes: Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, and Flood Mitigation Assistance Program.

Additional coordination may include the State Dam Safety Program, State land-use, building code and water resources programs, as well as State agencies that routinely conduct activities within floodplains, such as State Departments of Transportation or port authorities. Coordination with other State agencies on adoption and implementation of State Executive Orders and regulations that meet State NFIP requirements is also encouraged. 12.

Assistance to Communities in Responding to Disasters: States are encouraged to provide post-disaster assistance and support to NFIP communities.

Examples of these activities include: technical assistance implementing substantial damage requirements, including use of the Substantial Damage Estimating Software; assistance to communities enrolling into the NFIP; general floodplain management technical assistance; assistance with the promotion and use of the NFIP Increased Cost of Compliance coverage; and assistance with HMA programs.

Generally, these activities are not included in the annual CAP-SSSE Agreement, but can be negotiated when a disaster occurs. The CAP-SSSE Agreement must be modified to reflect these changes when they occur. Selection of CACs and CAVs A risk based approach is intended to help ensure that limited staff resources are applied to the communities most in need of a CAV or CAC in each fiscal year in a cost-effective manner.

The selection of CACs and CAVs to be conducted shall continue to use the CAV Tier 1 Prioritization Tool as guidance for determining which communities should receive a CAV. While Selection of CAVs using the Tier 1 tool is required, States and regions may, by exception, select Tier 2 communities for CAVs, with justification added to the CAV Comment Field in the Community Information System (CIS).

Special Attention to Mechanical, Electrical, and Utility Equipment and Flood Openings The NFIP Evaluation also concluded that the most common type of violation found in the Study’s quantitative assessment of building compliance were mechanical and utility equipment located below the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) and openings that do not meet requirements at 44 CFR 60. 3(c)(5).

Between them, these two types of violations accounted for 50 percent of the violations found within the sample. To improve enforcement of these requirements, special consideration and attention should be paid to mechanical, utility and openings requirements during CAVs. State CAVs In coordination with the State NFIP Coordinator, Regional Offices may determine that a CAV of the State floodplain management program is appropriate.

Regional staff may request assistance with coordination with State agencies or officials, the collection of data and other assistance in preparation of conducting the CAV. c.

Program Objectives • To provide technical assistance to communities in the National Flood Insurance Program; and • To evaluate community performance in implementing National Flood Insurance Program floodplain management activities Funding Opportunity Number: DHS-14-MT-023-008-99. Assistance Listing: 97. 023.

Funding Instrument: CA. Category: O. Award Amount: $10.

4M total program funding.