Mitigation Overview Video

2021-2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan 
(Southwest Alabama Hazard Mitigation Plan, Phase II)  

Local Mitigation Planning Handbook: http://bit.ly/MitigationPlanningHandbook

Revisions of this plan are required by FEMA every five years.

Hazard Mitigation Planning Committee (HMPC) - BYLAWS

- Local Hazard Mitigation Planning General Info.

HMPC Full Body Meetings
Schedule - Mitigation Plan Maintenance Phase - Third Thursday of the First Month of each Quarter (Oct., Jan., Apr., & Jul.)

Upcoming Meeting Agenda(s) 
-HMPC Agenda 2022-01-13

Meeting Minutes (Draft/Final, as marked)
-March 18, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
- February 18, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
- April 15, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
- May 20, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
- July 15, 2021 HMPC Minutes
- August 19, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
- December 16, 2021 HMPC Minutes 
**Draft HMPC Minutes 01-13-2022

HMPC Executive Committee
Consists of Seven (7) Members Total; Three (3) Officers and Four (4) Members-at-large. 
(1) Brandan Franklin, City of Gulf Shores-Chairperson
(2)*Vacated, pending Full Body special election outcome
(3) Danon Smith, Baldwin County EMA-Secretary
(4) Zach Hood, Baldwin County EMA Director
(5) Erik Cortinas, City of Fairhope
(6) Barbara Etheridge, Alabama Department of Public Health
(7) *Vacated, pending Full Body special election outcome

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance Programs
Guidance Governing Eligibility and Allowable Activities and Costs 
FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Guidance

HMA Guidance Addendum

HMA Guidance Fact Sheet See page 32 in the HMA Guidance for this table and further information on eligibility

A FEMA Benefit Cost Analysis (BCA) must be performed on all projects to calculate the FEMA Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR). The BCR minimum is for the project benefit to be equal to at least one time the cost of the project. 

***NFIP Flood Insurance is required for residential properties. ***
A benefit (NOT A GRANT) of an NFIP Policy, Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) may be used alone or towards the local match/cost share, but will not be available until the mitigation action has been completed and the property conforms to current codes and standards. The ICC benefit is a ONE-TIME payment from NFIP of UP TO $30,000.00. 

Mitigation grants are Reimbursement Grants, meaning the local entity or homeowner pays for the work up front and seeks reimbursement from FEMA through approved methods. For homeowners, this is an important factor. 

Work cannot begin prior to the date of award  for mitigation grants, and there are NO EXCEPTIONS. 

If your home has been declared "substantially damaged" by the Baldwin County Building Official or an Inspector, this cannot be reversed and the home must meet current codes and standards before a certificate of occupancy is issued and the home is considered "livable" again. 
 

FEMA Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program Types

HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM

Disaster-Contingent

Authorized under Section 404 of the Stafford Act, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), now under the Department of Homeland Security, provides grants to States and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. HMGP is implemented and managed by State Administrative Agencies (SAAs) and locally executed. The purpose of the HMGP program is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. FEMA can fund up to 75 percent of the eligible costs of each project. Total Federal funding under the current program is based on a sliding scale of the estimated grants for individual assistance programs and public assistance projects. The standard cost match is 75% Federal and 25% Local. 

For more information about the HMGP application and eligibility requirements, please refer to the implementing regulations at 44 CFR 206.430, see the Alabama EMA Mitigation webpage  and contact your local Emergency Management Agency. 

The Alabama EMA is the designated State Administrative Agency (SAA) for HMGP.

GRANT PORTAL INFORMATION FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT ENTITIES - FEMAGO is for Pre-Disaster Mitigation, e.g., Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities (BRIC). These opportunities are highly competitive and not all who apply with eligible applications and projects meeting program criteria will be awarded. This is due to the applications exceeding available federal funding.

The AEMA Grants Portal is for Post-Disaster Mitigation Grants that follow Major Disaster Declarations by the President.

DR-4563 HMGP (Hurricane Sally) - Application Results Pending Review by FEMA

DR-4503 HMGP (Covid-19)-Application Results Pending Review by FEMA

DR-4596 HMGP (Severe Storms [in which Baldwin was not a declared county])
Applicant Briefing

***For Structure Elevations, there is a $205,000.00 maximum Federal Share; and $250,000.00 max federal share for elevations through mitigation reconstruction.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM)

Pre-Disaster Mitigation is an annual opportunity for mitigation funding from FEMA. It is highly competitive. There are two programs within PDM. Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) and Building Resilient Infrastructure in Communities (BRIC).

The cost share is 75% Federal and 25% Local, unless (in certain cases) an FMA project is deemed a Repetitive Loss or Severe Repetitive Loss Property. 

 - A Repetitive Loss (RL) Property is classified by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) as any insurable structure with two (2) flood insurance claims greater than $1,000.00 in any ten (10)-year period since 1978.

 - A Severe Repetitive Loss (SRL) property is defined as an NFIP-Insured single family or multiple family residential structure in which four (4) or more separate claims payments have been made, with the amount of each claim exceeding $5,000.00 each (including building and contents), and with the cumulative payments exceeding $20,000.00; or for which two (2) separate claims payments (building payments only) have been made with the cumulative value of such claims exceeding the current market value of the building/structure.  

Homeowners should contact their local jurisdiction if interested in mitigation assistance. 

• **Not all who apply with eligible applications and projects meeting program criteria will be awarded. This is due to the applications exceeding available federal funding.
• This process involves multiple government agencies at multiple levels of government (State, federal, and local) and is not a rapid process or "quick fix".
  • However, Baldwin County EMA staff will work diligently to assist those interested in applying for eligible projects. 

If you live in a Baldwin County unincorporated area of jurisdiction and are interested in Hazard Mitigation Assistance for Flood Mitigation, Wind Mitigation, or other eligible project (see guidance links both above and below), you must review/complete the following: 

Complete necessary forms by clicking on the links to the forms below: 

SAMPLE Sub-recipient Agreement HMGP - Legal Approved 

• Mitigation Interest Survey Form INDIVIDUAL-Baldwin
• Notice of Voluntary Interest
• Property Owner Questionnaire
• Declaration and Release Form (FEMA)
• Home Elevation Checklist
• Permission to Enter, Appraise, Survey, and Inspect -REVIEW
• Privacy Act Release - Template
• REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR Mitigation Grants
• Property Owner Questionnaire EMA P-G Division

Upon Award, if awarded following the submission to FEMA of a complete application, a Sub-recipient Agreement between property owner and local government is required to document that the homeowner understands their responsibilities . This includes ultimate project cost financial responsibility, and proof of ability to meet financial obligations. County Mitigation Grant Staff will process reimbursement documents for the federal share. No work can begin on the project until FEMA makes an award and all agreements are signed. The homeowner pays the contractor, and submits involves to the local government submission to FEMA  The Homeowner will have to provide documentation to the local government entity that proves funds are available for the project. 

Send completed forms to BCEMA Planning & Grants Division manager, Danon Smith, to apply for HMA Grants through Baldwin County. Email to danon.smith@baldwincountyal.gov or karen.giordano@baldwincountyal.gov 

You may also also call 251-972-6807, ext. 8510 and ask for Danon or  Ext. 7703 for Karen if you need help accessing the forms or emailing PDF versions of the forms. 

If you do not live in the unincorporated areas (outside municipal limits), you will be directed to your jurisdiction's point of contact for mitigation.

If you need help from the Baldwin County Building Department / Floodplain Administrator regarding building codes, elevation certificate information, Floodplain Management Regulations, or Flood Zone location information, click here to visit their web page for information and guidance.

(Information is retained by the EMA Planning & Grants Division to help provide information and assistance from the local EMA, but it is is the requestor's responsibility to confirm receipt and follow-up on opportunities and information needed for applications that may be completed and submitted.) SEE also IMPORTANT RESOURCES from Alabama EMA and FEMA below. 

IMPORTANT HAZARD MITIGATION INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FROM ALABAMA EMA AND FEMA MAY BE ACCESSED BY  FOLLOWING THE LNKS LISTED BELOW:

- Alabama EMA Grants: Grants.EMA.Alabama.gov

Includes Alabama EMA's Grants Portal (NB3), Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Program information, and Applicant Briefing Recordings, and additional information may be accessed here. 

The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the HMGP is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to enable mitigation measures to be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. The HMGP is authorized under Section 404 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act.

FEMA-Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grants: FEMA.gov/grants/mitigation 

Includes Hazard Mitigation Assistance Grant Guidance, eligible project and applicant information, and resources to help interpret federal statutes, regulations and best practices about mitigation strategies.

Hazard mitigation is any sustainable action that reduces or eliminates long-term risk to people and property from future disasters. Mitigation planning breaks the cycle of disaster damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. Hazard mitigation includes long-term solutions that reduce the impact of disasters in the future.

FEMA's hazard mitigation assistance provides funding for eligible mitigation measures that reduce disaster losses. It also:

• Reduces vulnerability of communities to disasters and their effects.
• Promotes individual and community safety and their ability to adapt to changing conditions and withstand and rapidly recover from disruption due to emergencies (resilience).
• Promotes community vitality after a disaster.
• Lessens response and recovery resource requirements after a disaster.
• Results in safer communities that are less reliant on external financial assistance.