Fort Myers Beach got an early Christmas present from FEMA with news that the town earned a Class 5 rating in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System, a major step in recovery from Hurricane Ian that could earn residents financial relief as of April 2026.

Will McKannay, town manager for Fort Myers Beach, said the FEMA notification was a welcome addition to the news, a scant month ago, that the town was off flood insurance program probation.

"Probation was just lifted back in November. That is true," he said. "We received notification a few months prior to that that we were going to be taken off probation, but when they said going to be back in the summer that was contingent on a community assistance visit, basically a team of FEMA floodplain management experts came down here, evaluated the town, evaluated our policies, procedures, went through street by street, looked at residences, looked at businesses, and came up with a long list of properties that were not in compliance."

At that point Fort Myers Beach was told that in order to be taken off probation, the non-compliant issues had to be addressed. McKannay said that the town did address all of those, and changed or updated a lot of procedures and policies to the satisfaction of FEMA and the probation was lifted in November.

McKannay said the Class 5 rating was hoped for, but not expected.

The rating was formally confirmed in a December letter from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. It is also a national recognition for the Town’s flood mitigation and governance efforts.

"The next step was what rating we would re-enter into the community rating system at," he said. "We didn't expect it, you know, to be a five. We kind of, you know, honestly, expected us for them to at best, maybe say you're going to get back in the seven or eight, and then you can work your way back up. But we I feel that we did earn the class five rating, so I'm really glad that they agreed."

In a release sent Wednesday, the town said that as a result of the Class 5 designation, most Fort Myers Beach property owners insured through the National Flood Insurance Program will be eligible for a 25 percent reduction in flood insurance premiums on policies issued or renewed on or after April 1, 2026.

“This is a game-changing win for Fort Myers Beach,” said McKannay. “A Class 5 CRS rating means lower flood insurance costs for our residents, stronger protection for homes and businesses, and national recognition that this Town has turned a corner. After the devastation of Hurricane Ian, this milestone proves how far we’ve come. It reflects extraordinary work by our staff and partners, and it puts real savings back into residents’ pockets while strengthening the future of Fort Myers Beach.”

The CRS program is a voluntary FEMA initiative that rewards communities for exceeding minimum floodplain management standards. FEMA verified that Fort Myers Beach’s actions not only meet but exceed program requirements, directly reducing flood risk, protecting lives and property, preserving natural floodplain functions, and saving taxpayers money.

The achievement represents a dramatic turnaround for the Town following Hurricane Ian and subsequent challenges, including heightened oversight and the pressure to rebuild stronger, smarter, and more responsibly. Earning a Class 5 rating places Fort Myers Beach among a select group of communities nationwide that have demonstrated sustained excellence in flood resilience and public safety.

What This Means for Residents

• Lower flood insurance costs: Most properties insured through the National Flood Insurance Program will receive a 25% discount on flood insurance premiums beginning April 1, 2026, putting real money back in residents’ pockets.

• Stronger protection for homes and businesses: The policies and projects that earned this rating reduce flood risk, help limit damage during storms, and improve long-term safety for properties across the island.

• Greater stability and confidence in recovery: National recognition from FEMA signals that Fort Myers Beach is meeting high standards for floodplain management, strengthening property values and investor confidence as the Town continues to rebuild.

FEMA further confirmed that the Class 5 rating will automatically renew annually as long as the Town remains in good standing with the National Flood Insurance Program and continues implementing the certified activities that earned the designation.

In its letter, FEMA formally commended the Town’s leadership and determination, citing Fort Myers Beach as an example of how strong floodplain management enhances public safety, reduces insurance costs, and supports long-term disaster resilience.

For McKannay, there is satisfaction in planning for the town's future, which is designed as an amalgam of the old, and the new.

"If you come over on the beach now you start to see some of that future with some of the new structures with that are floodplain compliant. You know, the elevated houses, the elevated businesses, the businesses who are elevated but are activating the ground floor with compliant temporary structures like trailers and so forth. Businesses that are able to do some flood management things, like flood vents or doors that open," McKannay said. "You're starting to see a lot of great innovative solutions by a lot of business owners, a lot of our builders and engineers out here on the beach. And I think going forward, you're going to see more and more of that, like a lot of the residents here."

McKannay said a hybrid town is what the outcome will be.

"What Fort Myers Beach used to be — with what it's going to be in the future. We're working with some developers like the owners of the Beach Bar, like the new owner of The Cottage, like many others who really want to bring back that same feel. And The Whale is another example — that same kind of feel of what people remember, of the fun vibe of Fort Myers Beach, but within the new floodplain management codes and regulations," the town manager said. "So it's going to look a little different, but it's going to look a little bit the same. That's our goal. You know, we want to maintain as much of the old Fort Myers Beach as we can, but we don't want to have the devastation, obviously, that we did before. We don't want to have people to have to suffer like they did before. We want to do as much as we can for public safety while maintaining that old vibe."

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