The Community Rating System [CRS) is a voluntary program available to National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) participating communities. The CRS provides incentives for communities to implement flood risk reduction activities that extend beyond the minimum floodplain management regulations established by the NFIP to minimize risk. CRS activities include education and outreach, the enforcement of higher regulatory standards, flood risk mapping, planning, etc. As we experience increases in intense rainfall events, increases in significant flood events, and the rise in flood insurance rates resulting from FEMA’s new NFIP rating methodology, the CRS is vital to community disaster resilience. Not only does the CRS encourage risk reduction activities, but it also provides discounts on NFIP insurance policies for residents of CRS communities.   

In coordination with the LaDOTD Floodplain Management Office, UNO-CHART supports local implementation of the CRS through its facilitation of CRS Users Groups. Upon request by local floodplain management officials in 2012, UNO-CHART began facilitating CRS Users Groups in South Louisiana. CRS Users Groups are made up of local officials such as floodplain managers, building officials, planners, etc. and they serve as support and as an educational resource for local communities. UNO-CHART facilitates monthly meetings of two users groups in Louisiana: one in the Lake Pontchartrain area, known as FLOAT, and one in the Baton Rouge area, known as CRAFT. As part of this effort, CHART led the development of multijurisdictional projects such as Multijurisdictional Programs for Public Information (PPI) for FLOAT and CRAFT. Overall, CRS Users Groups demonstrate a collaborative effort to reduce flood risk and lower insurance costs for communities.