Quincy Residents to Save Money as FEMA Flood Map Revisions Take Effect

Quincy Residents to Benefit from Revised FEMA Flood Maps

QUINCY – Hundreds of Quincy property owners are set to see savings on their insurance costs due to revisions to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) flood maps, according to city officials. The updated map, which becomes effective on July 8, will remove approximately 300 individual houses across eight Quincy neighborhoods from the flood zone.

Al Grazioso, Department of Public Works Commissioner, and consultant Joe Shea shared these details during a March 3 city council meeting. Shea also noted that a small number of properties, around a dozen, were added to the updated map.

According to Shea, mortgage lenders require homeowners within designated flood zones to carry flood insurance. Massachusetts residents typically pay an average of $1,078 annually for flood insurance, according to insurance analyst ValuePenguin. The revised map offers considerable relief.

Shea explained that if properties now fall outside of the flood zone, their owners can expect significant decreases in their insurance rates, even if they choose to remain insured.

“We knew the maps were incorrect,” Shea said.

When FEMA last updated its flood maps in 2017, it added 500 Quincy properties to the flood zone. Shea emphasized that many of those additions were inaccurate.

Quincy, with its 27 miles of coastline, numerous creeks, inlets, and brooks, is no stranger to flooding. Shea and Grazioso highlighted several mitigation infrastructure projects designed to safeguard residents while also lowering their insurance costs. These measures include pumping stations, sea walls, tide gates, and outfalls, which efficiently direct storm runoff into bodies of water. The deep rock tunnel in Quincy, which channels excess water from South Quincy under the downtown area to Town River Bay, is a key piece of this infrastructure. Shea pointed out that FEMA did not account for the mitigating effects of the tunnel in its 2017 map. The new map acknowledges this, resulting in the removal of a sizable area encompassing neighborhoods near Brook Road and Water Street from the flood zone.

Is Your Property Affected?

Residents can easily determine if their property is impacted by the FEMA flood map revisions by following these steps:

1. Visit the city of Quincy’s Geographical Information System map on the city website.
2. Enter the property address into the “Property Quick Search” field located in the top right corner.
3. Click on the “Themes” icon, which appears in the upper right corner of the map.
4. Scroll down to the “Flooding” subheading.
5. Click the “2025 Preliminary FEMA National Hazard Layer” button.

If the property is highlighted in blue, it falls within the flood zone. If not, it is not.

Savings for Quincy Residents

Since 1993, Quincy has participated in FEMA’s Community Rating System, surpassing the minimum requirements for floodplain management. This leads to a 15% discount on flood insurance policies for residents, one of the highest savings rates in the state. Shea estimates that approximately 3,500 households currently paying for flood insurance will save slightly over $150 per household.