INSURANCE SAVINGS: Harder’s Push for New Flood Maps Leads to Lower Insurance for 9,000 Stockton Households

STOCKTON – Today, following his call for a flood risk re-evaluation, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has lifted flood insurance requirements for parts of Stockton, which will lower insurance costs for nearly 9,000 Stockton households. The risk revisions were made possible by the completion of the Smith Canal Gate last year, which meets FEMA’s 100-year flood protection requirements and will save Stockton homeowners up to $3,300 per year.

This is the first flood risk reduction in the Valley in 2 years:

• San Joaquin County is one of the most densely populated floodplains anywhere in the United States.

• For years in Stockton alone, over 90% of properties were at risk during a major flood event.

• More than 1,100 miles of Delta levees still need repairs.

“This is a huge win for Stockton families that have faced severe flooding threats for years and paid tens of thousands to protect their homes,” said Rep. Harder. “But we can’t stop here – we need to get more levees repaired and ensure that every Valley family is protected from catastrophic flooding. I will continue working across the aisle to make that vision a reality ASAP, not after the next major flood.”

Harder is leading federal efforts to combat severe flooding in the Valley:

• His bipartisan bill, the Safeguarding Our Levees Act, accelerates levee repairs and reduces local cost burdens to make levee repairs more affordable.

• Harder is fighting back against proposed cuts to flood protection projects in the Valley, which would withhold $126 million from critical construction projects.

###