A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, ACCEPTING THE 2021 PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC INFORMATION (PPI) ANNUAL UPDATE AND EVALUATION REPORT, ATTACHED TO THIS RESOLUTION AS EXHIBIT A, DEVELOPED FOR THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM (NFIP) COMMUNITY RATING SYSTEM (CRS) (THE PROGRAM); AND FURTHER CREATING AN AD HOC ADVISORY COMMITTEE TO SERVE AS A PPI COMMITTEE FOR THE 2022 PROGRAM, TO IMPLEMENT, MONITOR, AND EVALUATE THE PPI, AND PRESCRIBE THE PURPOSE, DUTIES, APPOINTMENTS, AND TERMS OF THE COMMITTEE'S MEMBERS, FOR A TERM COMMENCING ON JANUARY 1, 2022 AND EXPIRING ON DECEMBER 31, 2022.

The City of Miami Beach Administration recommends that the City Commission accept the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) Program for Public Information (PPI) Annual Evaluation Update and Evaluation Report prepared for the Community Rating System (CRS) program and to reconvene the annual ad hoc committee starting on January 1^st of 2022 and ending on December 31^st of 2022. The committee’s continuous participation and work is required to monitor the implementation of flood awareness projects, which provide valuable activity points for the CRS program. 

The Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary program under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program allowing communities to earn flood insurance discounts.  Cities earn points for conducting activities promoting flood insurance and reducing flood risk. The CRS rating scores range from 1 to 10 (1 being the highest and 10 the lowest). Miami Beach pursued an aggressive goal to improve its CRS ranking from a Class 6 to a Class 5 and was officially awarded the new score in May of 2019. As a result, many new policies and renewals after May 1, 2019 have been able to save 5% more on flood insurance premiums. With this score improvement, the City receives a 25% discount that totals $8.6 million in savings annually.  This helps offset increasing federal rates.

The Program for Public Information Committee (PPI) was first created by the City Commission through Resolution No. 2017-30104 on November 29, 2017. The original Program for Public Information Plan was approved on March 1, 2017 via Resolution No. 2017-29771. A progress report is submitted annually to the City Commission as required by the program.  On November 5, 2021, the PPI Committee approved the Annual Update and Evaluation Report to be transmitted to City Commission.

The mission of the proposed Program for Public Information Committee is to create and monitor a Program for Public Information (PPI) plan with the purpose of reducing flood risk and ultimately reducing the cost of flood insurance. The committee meets twice a year to address CRS requirements as well as monitoring and evaluating the plan. The committee’s composition requires representation from communications, floodplain management, real estate, banking, and insurance. The committee was first created by the City Commission through Resolution No. 2017-30104 on November 29, 2017. The recommended Program for Public Information Committee members for 2022 are:

• Melissa Berthier, Communications Representative, 
        Director, Marketing and Communications Department
• Alex Carrasco, Banking Industry Representative
        Vice President, Iberia Bank
• Scott Diffenderfer, CIPS, LCAM, Real Estate Agent Representative
        Licensed Real Estate Broker Associate, Compass, 
        President of the Belle Isles Residents Association
• Carlos Gutierrez, PA, Real Estate Agent Representative
        Broker Associate, Coldwell Banker
        2016 President Miami Association of Realtors
• Mohsen Jarahpour, CFM, Floodplain Manager
        Building Department
• John J. Lee, Insurance Agent
        Vice President, FirstService Financial

This year, the committee focused on flood risk reduction messaging projects, such as King Tide awareness, and evaluating progress toward the established outcomes. There was a special focus on creating awareness about the changes occurring with FEMA flood maps and with Risk Rating 2.0, which is changing how flood insurance will be priced through the National Flood Insurance Program.  The full PPI plan must be updated every five years, and the focus for the 2022 Committee will be to create a new plan.

The National Flood Insurance Program Public Information Plan Update and Annual Evaluation Report highlights the progress made toward desired outcomes established on the plan adopted on March 1, 2017 via Resolution No. 2017-29771. It provides data and details regarding project implementation status and recommendations for future improvements. 

The Annual Evaluation Report, Attachment 1, includes:

 
• A review of projects conducted in 2020 and 2021;
• Progress towards the desired outcomes; and
• Recommendations for improvement.

According to the 2019 Community Survey, 43% of residents agree or strongly agree that they’re satisfied with their building(s) flood risk protections and 40% of residents agree or strongly agree that they have observed increased flooding in their neighborhood.

City staff, specifically the Chief Resilience Officer, (City Manager’s Office), the Floodplain Manager (Building Department), and the Director of Marketing and Communications all dedicate hours to the Committee, reports and activities.  Outreach is distributed through existing communications channels with some target direct mailing and materials at a cost of less than $10,000 annually. Due to the City’s performance in the FEMA full Community Rating System program, most NFIP policy holders receive a 25% discount that totals $8.6 million in savings annually. 

Administration recommends the City Commission accept the National Flood Insurance Program for Public Information Committee Annual Evaluation Update and Report and reconvene the annual ad hoc Program for Public Information Committee for 2022 to continue reducing flood risk through awareness communications and to achieve CRS points, thereby earning flood insurance premium discounts for residents and businesses.