Abstract
The Community Rating System (CRS) is a flood mitigation program of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Recent research shows that the program has led to a substantial increase in flood insurance purchases and decreased claims payments, but our understanding of participation rate under specific activities is limited. The CRS has four major activity series: Public Information, Mapping and Regulation, Flood Damage Reduction, and Warning and Response. This work analyzes where communities earn most of their points by series and activities. The focus will be on four major flood-prone states: California, Florida, Louisiana, and Texas. Data were obtained on CRS activity choices and credits earned between 1999-2018. Credit points earned under Mapping and Regulation account for 61% of all credit points earned in these four states, Flood Damage Reduction accounts for 33%, Public Information accounts for 18%, and Warning and Response account for 4%. We found 8 specific activities under the 4 major activity series that received lowest participation. They are: levees, flood insurance promotion, flood protection, flood warning and response, acquisition and relocations, flood protection, flood protection assistance, and drainage system management.
