Flood or Wind Damage? Get Permits Before Rebuilding

AURORA, Ill. – Before beginning new construction or repairs of property damaged during the recent spring severe weather, residents are urged to consult with local building officials to obtain the necessary permits.

“Obtaining building permits is especially important for those with homes or businesses located within a FEMA-mapped floodplain,” said State Coordinating Officer Jonathon Monken, the Illinois official in charge of disaster recovery. “Residents rebuilding after the recent severe weather need to know that building permits are based on local codes and ordinances that are enforced locally, not by FEMA.”

Permits assure residents and communities that all proposed work complies with current codes, standards, flood ordinances and recommended construction techniques. Permits that include an elevation certificate can provide a permanent record of compliance with elevation, and/or retrofitting requirements, which is useful information for flood insurance ratings, and when selling your home.

Often, local permit offices can provide suggestions or literature on how to protect your home or business from future disaster-related damage.

Floodplain development permits are required and repair projects must meet community building codes and flood-damage prevention ordinances. Repairs begun without proper permits may be subject to stop-work orders, fines or penalties.

It is not necessary to visit a DRC to register for disaster assistance. Individuals can register online at www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov. Applicants may also call 800-621-3362 or (TTY) 800-462-7585. People who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services (VRS) can call 800-621-3362. For more information visit the Illinois Disaster website www.fema.gov/disaster/4116.

Multilingual phone operators are available on the FEMA helpline. Choose Option 2 for Spanish and Option 3 for other languages.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Follow FEMA online at twitter.com/femaregion5, www.facebook.com/fema, and www.youtube.com/fema.  Also, follow Administrator Craig Fugate’s activities at twitter.com/craigatfema. The social media links provided are for reference only. FEMA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies or applications.

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