Oʻahu homeowners and renters are staring down a new kind of flood risk, and it has nothing to do with the weather. Federal flood maps have moved toward final approval, and dozens of stream-adjacent properties have been bumped into higher-risk flood zones for the first time. FEMA’s move starts a six-month countdown to updated rules that could ripple through mortgages, building permits and insurance bills. City officials are urging residents to use the window now to look up their properties and talk to lenders or insurers before the new requirements kick in, as reporetd by the City and County of Honolulu.
What the letter means
On Wednesday, FEMA issued a Letter of Final Determination that launches a six-month compliance period and sets the updated…..