SmarterSafer.org

SmarterSafer.org is a national coalition that is made up of a diverse chorus of voices united in favor of environmentally responsible, fiscally sound approaches to natural catastrophe policy that promote public safety. The coalition believes that the Federal government has a role in encouraging and helping homeowners to undertake mitigation efforts to safeguard their homes against natural disasters. At the same time, the coalition opposes measures that put people’s lives at risk at the expense of taxpayers. Measures such as subsidizing artificially low rates for homeowners’ insurance policies help to encourage construction in environmentally sensitive and unsafe areas. The coalition is working to ensure that Congress does not incentivize people to live in harm’s way in places prone to hurricanes and floods.

Coalition members strongly support reform of the National Flood Insurance Program. The program must be based on accurate maps, must charge risk-based rates, and must focus on mitigation. These steps will ensure the program can continue to function, will protect people from flooding, and will protect taxpayers. The coalition supports a move toward risk-based, actuarial pricing for insurance which not only supports fiscally sustainable policies but helps those most at risk bear the costs and understand the real risk.

Coalition members also strongly support measures that would encourage and assist homeowners in taking mitigation steps to protect their homes against natural disasters. These include incentives like a hurricane mitigation tax credit and a new loan program that would provide low-interest loans to homeowners undertaking risk mitigation.