Five Cities Sue FEMA Over Flood Insurance
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Five cities in southeast Los Angeles County have filed suit against officials at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, alleging that they failed to adequately investigate the potential impact of requiring nearly 500,000 people living near the Los Angeles River to buy flood insurance.
The suit--filed in federal court in Los Angeles on Friday by the cities of Lakewood, Bellflower, Downey, Paramount and Pico Rivera--alleges that FEMA officials breached government regulations requiring them to analyze the effects of mandating insurance on minority and low-income neighborhoods.
The cities are asking that FEMA be ordered to conduct the study and lift the burden of flood insurance until the study is completed, said Laurie D. Zelon, an attorney for the cities.
The suit names FEMA Director James Lee Witt and five other officials as defendants. FEMA officials could not be reached for comment.
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