FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. – Residents and business owners on Fort Myers Beach will soon see significant financial relief. The town has announced that their flood insurance discount is back, effective April 1. FEMA gave its final approval for the discount late Tuesday night.
The discount, set at 25%, is particularly high for a barrier island, according to the town manager. Alongside this, the town’s rules for permitting, code enforcement, temporary structures, and flood planning were also approved.
“A class five rating means a 25% discount for residents and property owners here in the National Flood Insurance Program, beginning one April of 26 is when they’ll be able to first see those discounts on their premiums,” said Town Manager William McKanny.
This achievement follows a challenging period for Fort Myers Beach. In November 2024, FEMA placed the town on probation due to permitting issues following Hurricane Ian. The town then worked diligently to improve floodplain plans, permitting procedures, and code enforcement.
“They received the letter that day yesterday from FEMA Headquarters in Washington, DC, of the final decision to approve Fort Myers Beach re-entry into the community rating system,” said McKanny.
This is considered a major win for homeowners and businesses, especially those operating out of trailers.
“We had to tell everybody, hey, you’re going to have to come in, renew your old permits are going to expire. They’re no longer be valid. You’ll have to come in meet these new standards, and then you’ll be able to keep that and then every six months, we’re going to have to review those to make sure people are making progress towards rebuilding,” said McKanny.
The town emphasized that this discount will allow homeowners and business owners to reinvest money back into their pockets this spring.