LIVINGSTON PARISH - Thousands of Livingston Parish homeowners are expected to see hikes in their flood insurance.

According to the Advocate, a letter from FEMA suggests the parish was unable to articulate information about the construction permits issued in flood zones. The lack of documentation has led to a dip in the parish's Community Rating System score, which influences flood insurance rates for residents in the unincorporated parts of the parish.

The CRS program incentivizes communities to better manage their floodplains by offering discounts on flood insurance. The parish previously had a score of 9, but that dipped to a 10, the lowest score, after the latest issue.

Impacted homeowners, expected to number around 16,000, will no longer get the 5-percent discount they've been receiving. Parish Permitting Director DeeDee Delatte told the newspaper that FEMA wanted copies of every permit and accompanying elevation certificate issued in flood zones for five years prior to 2017, when the re-certification process occurred. She said the parish was unable to fulfill that request due to an outdated permitting system.

Delatte added that a new permitting system will soon be in place, and the parish will apply for the program again in 2020.