Flood Survivors to Meet with Feds

Parsippany residents told they may have to demolish their flood-damaged homes may get answers to their questions soon. The township hosts a 7 p.m. meeting at the Community Center Monday between affected homeowners and representatives of federal agencies tasked with helping them bounce back.

About 85 lower Lake Hiawatha homeowners recently received letters indicating that under law, they had to raise their houses' foundations or demolish the buildings entirely. The purpose of raising foundations is to allow the house to be safe in the event of a 100-year flood, per National Flood Insurance Program standards. Parsippany officials estimate that Hurricane Irene caused a 500-year flood.

Inspectors from the township's engineering department made the calls on which homes required the drastic choices, basing decisions on whether a house had suffered flood damage in excess of 50 percent of its market value.

Through an appeals process, the number of affected homes has been cut, so far, from approximately 85 to about 68, according to Parsippany Human Services Director Barbara Ievoli. 

Representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Department of Environmental Protection will be on hand to answer residents' questions at the Monday meeting, according to the mayor's office. The Community Center is located at 1130 Knoll Road.