The Federal Emergency Management Agency was error when it sent letters this week warned Lee County municipalities and the county government to not use property values from the county Property Appraiser’s Office when determining if repairs could be made to a hurricane battered home, according to property appraiser Matt Caldwell.

FEMA's letter warned that should building officials use home values provided by the property appraiser, it could result in residents losing discounted flood insurance premiums and municipalities could be suspended from the national flood insurance program.

The value of a home is important in determining if significant structure damage can be repaired or if the dwelling must be torn down and rebuilt to comply with current codes. The cost to repairing cannot be more than 50 percent of the value of the home, minus the land value, prior to Hurricane Ian.

Caldwell said he had an emergency meeting Friday with several representatives from FEMA and the state department of emergency management to explain the difference between assessed market values of home versus a true value.

Dan Allers, the mayor of Fort Myers Beach said the letter was very concerning but he has not yet been told by FEMA that it was essentially retracting its earlier conclusions.

Regardless, both Allers and Caldwell said it is advised the residents to get a private appraisal.

Caldwell said he was told FEMA would be sending out a letter to clarify the matter. It did later on Friday when the director of mitigation told various government leaders that FEMA "will coordinate with the Lee County Appraiser to better understand the methodology used to determine the property valuations issued after Hurricane Ian."

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