The Private Property Adaptation program, titled Fight the Flood, is well underway after comprehensive program development, a procurement process, and a competitive grant process. The goal of the program is to mitigate the risk of flooding for private buildings in the City of Miami Beach by incentivizing the construction of green infrastructure and flood-management retrofits on existing properties. Projects are intended to help property owners adapt to the effects of climate change and sea level rise, such as flooding caused by increased stormwater, rising groundwater levels, tidal levels, and/or storm surge levels. The program is currently in Phase 2 which focuses on design and construction. This innovative program is one of the first of its kind and draws from best practice research nationally.
Additionally, the referral memo contained specific questions regarding seawalls. Grants may be awarded for seawalls within the program if that is a feasible option. Based upon Building Department records of marine since the City’s Seawall resolution was passed in June of 2016, a total of 576 permits were applied for and 443 of those permits have been issued to date. As a subset of this total, since the seawall ordinance update in January 2021, 272 seawall permits have been applied for and 191 of those have been issued.
Program Updates
The Fight the Flood was communicated widely, and three application webinars were held for the first cohort. Between the live application period of July 25th to August 19th of 2022, 65 private property owners applied to the program. Of those, 46 were accepted and 42 continued forward with the program, entering Phase I Assessment Phase. After site assessments highlighting flood mitigation options, the information is provided to the property owner as an easily digestible report. Each participant received an invitation to join a report review and Phase II introduction call with Brizaga and the City. The City hosted a kickoff event for Phase II: Design and Construction of the program this summer. This event provided PPA participants with further information on the Phase II process and requirements, opportunities to engage with staff and consultants, and a chance to network with other participants in the cohort. Of the 42 Phase I participants, 34 are interested in continuing in the program. Participants were asked to submit the details and budgets for their projects to the City by October 15, 2023.
The program is currently funded with $3.3M after the Commission approved a Resolution in May 2023 to provide an additional two years of funding in FY24 and FY25.
Program Structure
Through this competitive grant program, selected properties receive on-site assessments of current and potential future flood risk and receive recommendations for improvements tailored to each property. The selected properties will receive funding through a 50/50 matching grant, with up to $20,000 available for the full scope of work, including the assessment. No match will be required for low-to-moderate income (LMI) properties. Only proposed projects that directly address flooding mitigation are eligible.
This program is open to single-family homes, multi-family properties (including condos), and commercial properties. Interested property owners first fill out an online application via the secured website Submittable that asks a range of questions about the applicant, the property, and the flood risk. An application does not guarantee grant funding. Applications must first pass a verification phase, and then an internal multidisciplinary panel scores applications against a pre-established rubric. The rubric prioritizes properties that have a low elevation, have experienced flooding, have submitted a flood claim, and/or qualify as LMI (defined as 140% Area Median Income).
To be eligible for the program, applying property owners must provide the documentation below:
1. Elevation Certificate
2. Proof of Flood Insurance
3. Valid identification (state-issued or passport)
4. Year of Property Construction
5. Income verification for Low to Median Income (LMI) residential properties
The first phase of the Private Property Adaptation program is the assessment process. The selected prime consultant team for this phase is being led by Brizaga, Inc. The consultant team analyzes the flood risk of each property and provides recommendations on potential improvements to mitigate this risk and its associated cost.
The second phase of the PPA program is construction of the improvements. After confirming interest in continuing with the program, each applicant reviews the options in their Phase I report and works with contractors and designers to secure quotes and finalize their project scope. Once the participant has a scope and quote(s) for their project, they provide the description, budget, and available documentation about the project to the city. The city reviews and, if the project meets program requirements, sends the participant a signed grant agreement to move forward with the program and secure reimbursement.
Only projects that directly mitigate flooding– to the structure or property – are eligible to receive PPA funding. Eligible projects include but are not limited to green infrastructure, permeable materials, rain gardens, dry floodproofing, drainage, and seawall restorations to meet requirements as dictated by Ordinance No. 2020-4393.
The program is reimbursement-based. The grant funding will be reimbursed at the close of the project. Properties that qualify as LMI will not be required to cover costs up-front.