Mandatory Purchase Requirement

The mandatory purchase requirement (MPR) applies to all forms of federal or federally related financial assistance for buildings located in a Special flood Hazard Area (SFHA). This requirement affects loans and grants for the purchase, construction, repair, or improvement of any publicly or privately owned building in the SFHA, including machinery, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings contained in such buildings. Financial assistance programs affected include loans and grants from agencies such as the:

• Department of Veterans Affairs
• Farmers Home Administration
• Federal Housing Administration
• Small Business Administration
• Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The requirement also applies to secured mortgage loans from financial institutions, such as commercial lenders, savings and loan association, savings banks, and credit unions that are regulated, supervised by Federal agencies such as the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Office of Thrift Supervision. It also applies to all mortgage loans purchased by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in the secondary mortgage market.

How MPR Works

Before a person can receive a loan or other financial assistance from one of the affected agencies or lenders, there must be a check to see if the building is in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA). The SFHA is base (100 - year) floodplain mapped on a Flood Insurance Rate Map (FIRM). It is shown as one or more zones that begin with the letter "A " or "V."

It is the agency or lender's responsibility to check the FIRM to determine if the building is in an SFHA, although Jackson County can provide assistance. Many lenders and insurance agents also have copies

If the building is in a SFHA, the agency or lender is required by law to require the recipient to purchase a flood insurance policy on the building. The requirement is for structural coverage equal to the amount of the loan (or other financial assistance) or the maximum amount available, whichever is less. The maximum amount available for a single-family house is $2,500.

Loans & Financial Assistance

The mandatory purchase requirement does not affect loans or financial assistance for items that are not covered by a flood insurance policy, such as vehicles, business expenses, landscaping, and vacant lots. It does not affect loans for buildings that are not in the SFHA, even though a portion of the lot may be flood prone. While not mandated by law, a lender may require a flood insurance policy as a condition of a loan for a property in any zone on a Flood Insurance Rate Map.