FEMA Mitigation Minute. March 9, 2022: Updated Louisiana Study Con­firms Ongoing and Substantial benefits for Elevating Properties. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina Damages Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina was catastrophic and is estimated to have cost the U.S. more than $160 billion. After the storm FEMA provided $1.5 million in Hazard Mitigation Grant Program funding to mitigate 23 Jefferson Parish residences by elevating them above the one-percent annual chance ­flood (i.e., 100-year fl­ood or base fl­ood) elevation line. Elevating a house above the Base Flood Elevation (BFE) can mitigate future ­flood damage. Fact: Since 1989 FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance programs have obligated approximately $5 billion to acquire or elevate approximately 60,000 properties nationwide. In 2012, Hurricane Isaac Damages Jefferson Parish. Then, in 2012, Hurricane Isaac struck and ­floodwaters topped four feet above ground elevation in some of the parish, resulting in more than $437 million in FEMA Public Assistance and Individual Assistance obligations in Louisiana alone. FEMA conducted a loss avoidance study to determine how much damage and dollars were saved because of the 23 property elevations that were done after Hurricane Katrina. It was determined that: None of the originally elevated properties sustained ­flood damage above the finished elevated fl­oor; and funds spent to elevate these 23 structures helped avoid $2.2 million in damage (or 95% of the cost to elevate them) and other losses in 2012. In 2021, Hurricane Ida damages Jefferson Parish. In 2021 Hurricane Ida brought wind gusts of up to 70 mph and fl­oodwaters that were reported to have reached 10 to 12 ft. in the parish. In its aftermath, FEMA conducted another loss avoidance study that, once again, revealed all 23 elevated structures had avoided ­flood-related losses; this time for $3.0 million. Cost-Effectiveness of Post Katrina Mitigation Project, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. The cost of mitigation was $2,361,247. Losses avoided in 2012 amounted to $2,241,140. Losses avoided in 2021 amounted to $3,017,843. Losses avoided combined amounted to $5,258,983. The loss avoidance ratio in 2012 was 0.95. The loss avoidance ratio in 2021 was 1.28. The cumulative loss avoidance ratio was 2.23. Conclusions: Based on the 2012 and 2021 studies (The losses avoided from the 2012 study were updated to 2021 dollars to determine the cumulative losses avoided from the two storms.) the nearly $2.4 million spent on mitigation measures have avoided almost $5.3 million in damage and other losses—that’s approximately $2.23 for each dollar spent over the past 10 years since the projects were completed. With these projects having a typical effectiveness lasting 30 years, we can expect to see continued benefits during the next 20 years. These loss avoidance studies reveal that elevating properties can provide a cost-effective long-term mitigation measure that helps reduce or prevent future costs associated with storms. Read the 2021 Loss Avoidance Study Update for Jefferson Parish, Louisiana. Learn more about the Hazard Mitigation Assistance Division's grant programs