APRIL 2025 UPDATE REGARDING FLOOD INSURANCE
Monroe County is making significant progress in easing long-standing restrictions on enclosed storage space beneath stilted homes. For years, the Board of County Commissioners has worked toward gaining approval from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to remove outdated limitations on square footage beneath elevated structures. After demonstrating its commitment to flood safety regulations—including requiring all livable areas to be built above the minimum elevation—Monroe County received a letter of support from FEMA. This endorsement effectively ends the county’s 2004 remedial flood inspection plan and opens the door for important updates to local building codes. These changes will give homeowners the opportunity to create more usable storage space below their elevated homes without jeopardizing their compliance with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).