LOMA

For FEMA to remove a structure from the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) through the LOMA process, Federal regulations require the lowest ground touching the structure, also known as the Lowest Adjacent Grade (LAG) elevation, to be at or above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE). But how do I get a LOMA?

I use the term “100-year flood zone daily for elevation certificates, LOMA’s, and explaining flood maps.  But it doesn't mean what you might think.  It means there is a 1% chance you will see a flood like the one on the FEMA flood map each and every year.  Since 1% is also "1 out of 100", the term "100-year flood" was adopted because that's easier to talk about than rattling off a bunch of statistics.

FEMA sometimes shows a 500-year flood on their maps and that is technically the 0.2% annual chance flood.  Try saying "zero point two percent annual chance flood zone" two dozen times a day and you can see why we use the short version.

FEMA defines the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) as the computed elevation to which the flood is anticipated to rise during the base flood.  The base flood is also referred to as the 1-percent annual chance flood or 100-year flood.  Just in case those terms are new to you, the 1-percent annual chance flood means that, statistically, there's a 1% chance every year that there will be a flood that looks like the one on the FEMA maps.  But it could flood less, or more, or many times a year, or not at all.  The Base Flood Elevation is a baseline pulled together from historic weather data, local topography, and the best science available at the time.

MassiveCert, Inc. is proud to announce that it has joined the National Flood Determination Association (NFDA). The NFDA is a national non-profit organization comprised of companies that make, distribute or have a vested interest in flood zone determinations.

The NFDA Mission Statement

FEMA doesn’t require participation from a Community CEO or Floodplain Administrator for a Letter of Map Amendment (LOMA) or Conditional Letter of Map Amendment (CLOMA) since FEMA’s determination will be made based on natural, as-built elevations. However, the community is expected to play an active role for Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (LOMR-F), Conditional Letters of Map Revision based on Fill (CLOMR-F) and Letters of Map Revision Floodway (LOMR-FW) by reviewing the Community Acknowledgement Form and signing when appropriate.

So, you decided to purchase or refinance a home and it turns out that it’s in a FEMA-designated Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) and your lender says, “you have two options, get flood insurance or a get a LOMA.”  Sound familiar?

Although many homes are correctly shown in the SFHA (Special Flood Hazard area or high-risk flood zone), sometimes there’s newer or better information available that wasn’t considered when FEMA established the high-risk flood zone. FEMA uses engineering best practices and standards to delineate its flood zones, but the data is usually only good to +/- 2 feet. That’s why FEMA created the MT-1 process allowing property owners to challenge the zone classification of their home or property by submitting more detailed information.