{By Juliana Barrett, UConn Sea Grant & CLEAR}

Photo of flooded homes on the Connecticut shoreline (Fred Musante)

On the one year anniversary of SuperStorm Sandy, Governor Malloy announced the creation of the Connecticut Shoreline Resiliency Fund. This fund is for state residents whose homes or businesses are subject to flooding allowing them to obtain low interest loans to elevate homes and flood proof businesses. With no income limits defining eligibility, this program will allow residents whose income exceeds federal assistance programs to move forward with adapting to sea level rise and coastal storms.

Elevating a structure refers to raising the living areas so as to prevent floodwaters from reaching them. This can be done by either elevating the entire structure or by leaving the structure as is and building a new, elevated floor in it. Floodproofing can include building with watertight walls, protecting utilities from flood damage, and making structural components resistant to the forces of flood waters.

Home in New Jersey being elevated. (Photo credit: Rosanna Arias/FEMA)

Loans of up to $300,000 will be available for homes and businesses that are subject to coastal flooding and located in one of two flood zones: Zone VE and Coastal Zone AE per federal flood maps and as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These are areas at high risk for flooding. Check out this link for definitions of VE and AE zones: FEMA definitions of VE and AE zones.

The Connecticut Department of Housing will provide $2 million in funding and Malloy hopes that an additional $25 million will be approved by the legislature in the 2014 session for this revolving fund. The creation of this fund is a positive step toward ensuring the resiliency of our coast.

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