Linda Hersey - page 5

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio is calling for a “more sensible way” to reform the National Flood Insurance Program. But he stopped short of supporting a a federal moratorium on the impending rate increase. In a Sept. 26 letter to Gov. Rick Scott and CFO Jeff Atwater, Rubio wrote that he is committed to trying to “prevent the massive rate hikes and provide a long-term fix.” At issue are subsidized flood insurance rate changes scheduled to take effect on Oct. 1…

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There was an overflow crowd at a free flood insurance seminar Wednesday night at St. Pete College, where Pinellas County Property Appraiser Pam Dubov predicted that impending rate hikes will “cause foreclosures.” “These are scary times,” Dubov told a crowd of about 300 property owners about changes to the National Flood Insurance Program, which go into effect Oct. 1. The subsidized flood insurance program has been around since 1968, but now Congress is phasing it out. Florida is impacted more…

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Looming rate increases for flood insurance have turned into a cliff hanger for state lawmakers, local leaders and thousands of policy holders pressing for a delay. Tonight at 6 p.m., property owners who will be affected by premium hikes, which go into effect on Oct. 1, are invited to attend a seminar at St. Petersburg College’s Seminole campus, 9200 113th St. North. The rate increases do not affect traditional homeowners’ insurance policies, which typically do not provide coverage for floods.…

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Fired up over flood insurance rate hikes that are about to take effect? A protest rally is planned for Saturday at Ballast Point Park, 5300 Interbay Blvd., Tampa. A grassroots group calling itself Stop FEMA Now is organizing the protest, which will start at noon. The rally will include property owners from throughout the Tampa Bay area, including St. Petersburg. Similar rallies are planned in at least 10 other states, as federally mandated rate hikes are about to take effect…

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Mayor Bill Foster warned Gov. Rick Scott today that flood insurance rate hikes could be “devastating” for thousands of St. Petersburg homeowners. Foster was joined by area realtors, who briefed Scott and the Cabinet about potential impacts of changes to the National Flood Insurance Program, which take effect Oct. 1. They called on state leaders to seek a delay from members of Congress. Floirda Realtors President Dean Asher also spoke about the “unintended consequences” from passage of the Biggert-Waters Act.…

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St. Petersburg mayor Bill Foster will address Gov. Rick Scott and the Cabinet today about potential economic impacts of flood insurance rate hikes in St. Petersburg. More than 15,000 St. Petersburg homes may see rate increases to their flood insurance policies due to reforms from the Biggert-Waters Act of 2012, which are set to take effect on Oct. 1. City leaders have joined state lawmakers in raising concerns about the economic impact on homeowners and the local real estate industry.…

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Florida Realtors are joining state lawmakers in urging a delay in new federal rules that increase flood insurance rates for thousands of Florida property owners. John Sebree, a senior vice president with Florida Realtors, said Monday that his association supports a delay in implementing reforms in the Biggert-Waters Act, which will take effect on Oct. 1. The act forces changes to the National Flood Insurance Program. On Wednesday at 9 a.m., St. Petersburg realtor Brandi Gabbard of Smith & Associates…

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