Does Harbor Heights flood?
Harbor Heights, Fort Lauderdale, FL · ZIP codes 33316 and 33315: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines.
Yes. Insured properties in and around Harbor Heights have filed flood claims. About 75% of Harbor Heights’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). NFIP flood insurance records list 108 claims from the Census block groups that cover Harbor Heights, from 1978 through 2024. 36 of them received a payment, totaling $363,032 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (19 claims), 1999 (12 claims), 1992 (12 claims).
What this page counts as Harbor Heights
We could not find an openly licensed official boundary for Harbor Heights, so this page uses a census-based area. For this page, Harbor Heights means the 2010 Census block groups whose center lies within 1.6 km (1.0 miles) of the U.S. Geological Survey (GNIS) map point for Harbor Heights (feature 283709) and inside the Fort Lauderdale city limits (U.S. Census Bureau), each block group going to the nearest of the places we cover. Every number below is for exactly those block groups (listed in “How these numbers were made”), so the edges are approximate and may include or leave out a few blocks people would call Harbor Heights. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
Past claims do not predict future flooding, and a neighborhood figure cannot tell you about one building. Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and get flood insurance quotes before you sign a lease or a contract.
Check a specific address in Harbor Heights
Neighborhood figures are averages. Our address check looks up the FEMA flood zone at one address, from the same public maps: check if your address is in a flood zone.
Flood zones street by street in Harbor Heights
The named streets in Harbor Heights, longest first, with how much of each street’s length inside Harbor Heights lies in FEMA’s high-risk flood zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area, zones A and V). Length is the part inside Harbor Heights; the main zone is the FEMA zone covering most of that length. A street can cross several zones, so the zone at one address can differ from the street’s main zone: check the address above for that. 11 shorter streets are not listed.
| Street | Length | In high-risk zones | Main zone |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seabreeze Blvd | 1.2 mi | 80% | AE (80%) |
| S Ocean Dr | 4,190 ft | 80% | AE (80%) |
| SE 17th St | 3,660 ft | 56% | AE (56%) |
| Isla Bahia Dr | 3,340 ft | 97% | AE (97%) |
| E Lake Dr | 3,060 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| S Ocean Ln | 2,410 ft | 52% | AE (52%) |
| SE 21st St | 2,160 ft | 82% | AE (82%) |
| Del Lago Dr | 2,000 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| W Lake Dr | 1,860 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SE 25th Ave | 1,860 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Barbara Dr | 1,720 ft | 88% | AE (88%) |
| SE 23rd Ave | 1,580 ft | 95% | AE (95%) |
| Harbor Dr | 1,550 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Laguna Dr | 1,500 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SE 21st Ave | 1,420 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Lucille Dr | 1,400 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SE 14th St | 1,400 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| SE 15th St | 1,350 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Mercedes Dr | 1,350 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| 17th St Rmp | 1,290 ft | 80% | AE (80%) |
| Access Rd | 1,280 ft | 57% | AE (57%) |
| SE 24th Ave | 1,240 ft | 75% | AE (75%) |
| Grace Dr | 1,180 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Laguna Ter | 1,050 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
| Mayan Dr | 1,030 ft | 100% | AE (100%) |
Streets: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads). Flood zones: FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, retrieved October 28, 2026. Each street is clipped to the area boundary and measured in an equal-area projection. Street lengths are rounded.
Flood zones in Harbor Heights
Share of Harbor Heights’s mapped area (about 3.815 km²) in each FEMA flood zone, from FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Mapped base flood elevations inside the neighborhood range from 6 to 10 feet. Effective date of the FIRM panel(s) covering it (12011C0576J, 12011C0578J): July 31, 2024.
| FEMA zone | Share of area |
|---|---|
| AE | 49% |
| VE | 25% |
| X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) | 11% |
| X (unshaded, minimal) | 6.8% |
| AO | 0.2% |
What the zones mean
- Zone AE (and A, AH, AO)
- High-risk: part of the Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA), the area FEMA maps as having a 1-percent chance of flooding in any given year (the “100-year” or base flood). AE areas have a mapped base flood elevation.
- Zone VE (and V)
- High-risk coastal areas, also in the SFHA, where the base flood is expected to bring additional hazards from storm waves.
- Zone X (shaded)
- Moderate hazard: between the limits of the 1-percent and the 0.2-percent-annual-chance (“500-year”) flood.
- Zone X (unshaded)
- Minimal hazard: outside the SFHA and higher than the 0.2-percent-annual-chance flood elevation. Minimal is not zero: flood claims are filed from X zones too.
Source: FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
Flood insurance claims over time
Claims filed under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) from the 2010 Census block groups that cover Harbor Heights. This area is made of whole block groups, so every claim counted here comes from inside it. Only insured properties appear, so these counts understate total flooding.
By decade
| Decade | Claims | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 3 | $7,189 |
| 1980s | 10 | $2,452 |
| 1990s | 38 | $68,151 |
| 2000s | 35 | $92,761 |
| 2010s | 17 | $120,314 |
| 2020s | 5 | $72,163 |
By year of loss
Named flood events with the most claims
- Hurricane Wilma: 19 claims
- Flooding: 11 claims
- Hurricane Irene: 10 claims
- Hurricane Andrew: 10 claims
- Hurricane Irma: 9 claims
FEMA labels some events only as “Flooding”. Claims by the flood zone the property was rated in:
- A/AE/AH/AO (high risk): 99
- X/B/C (moderate or minimal): 8
- V/VE (coastal high hazard): 1
How much is flood insurance in Harbor Heights?
The typical National Flood Insurance Program policy on single-family homes in Harbor Heights costs $1,457 a year: the median of 137 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half of them cost between $1,209 and $2,646. That is the full amount paid for the year, the premium plus FEMA’s fees and surcharges, and every one of these policies is priced under Risk Rating 2.0. A quote for one building can be far from this: its elevation, foundation, age, coverage and deductible all change the price. Private flood insurance is not included.
Source: FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3, computed October 28, 2026.
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Before you rent or buy in Harbor Heights
- Look up the exact address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center; a neighborhood can mix high-risk and minimal-hazard zones.
- Ask the landlord or seller about past flooding and flood insurance claims at the property.
- Get a flood insurance quote early: new NFIP policies usually take 30 days to start (FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy).
- Ask which floor the unit is on and where parking, storage and mechanical equipment sit.
Living in Harbor Heights
Flood maps are only one part of choosing a neighborhood. To compare Harbor Heights with other Fort Lauderdale neighborhoods on more than flooding, see Fort Lauderdale on StrollPlace.
Buyer and renter FAQ
Does Harbor Heights flood?
Yes. Insured properties in and around Harbor Heights have filed flood claims. About 75% of Harbor Heights’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). NFIP flood insurance records list 108 claims from the Census block groups that cover Harbor Heights, from 1978 through 2024. 36 of them received a payment, totaling $363,032 (not adjusted for inflation). The busiest years were 2005 (19 claims), 1999 (12 claims), 1992 (12 claims). Past claims do not predict future flooding, and conditions vary street by street, so check the specific address.
Is Harbor Heights in a flood zone?
About 75% of Harbor Heights’s mapped area is inside FEMA’s Special Flood Hazard Area (high-risk zones such as AE and VE). Shares by zone: AE 49%; VE 25%; X (shaded, 0.2% annual chance) 11%; X (unshaded, minimal) 6.8%; AO 0.2%. The FIRM panel(s) covering it took effect July 31, 2024.
Which streets in Harbor Heights are in a high-risk flood zone?
Most of the length of Seabreeze Blvd, S Ocean Dr, SE 17th St, Isla Bahia Dr, E Lake Dr, S Ocean Ln, SE 21st St, Del Lago Dr, W Lake Dr, SE 25th Ave, Barbara Dr and SE 23rd Ave lies in FEMA high-risk zones (the Special Flood Hazard Area). Zones can change along a street, so check the exact address.
What ZIP code is Harbor Heights in?
Harbor Heights is in Fort Lauderdale, FL. ZIP codes 33316 and 33315: the ZIP codes on most of the flood insurance claims counted here. ZIP codes do not follow neighborhood lines. Check the specific address for its own flood zone.
Do renters need flood insurance?
Standard renters policies usually do not cover flood. Renters in a community that participates in the NFIP can buy contents-only flood coverage, up to $100,000 for belongings.
How long does a new flood policy take to start?
A new NFIP policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase. Exceptions include no wait when the policy is bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage, and a one-day wait in a newly designated high-risk zone within 12 months of the map change.
How much coverage can NFIP provide?
For a one-to-four family home, NFIP building coverage goes up to $250,000 and contents coverage up to $100,000. You can buy flood insurance even if you are not in a high-risk zone, as long as your community participates in the NFIP.
How much is flood insurance in Harbor Heights?
The typical NFIP flood insurance policy on single-family homes in Harbor Heights cost $1,457 a year: the median of 137 policies that started between August 1, 2025 and July 31, 2026. Half cost between $1,209 and $2,646. One building’s quote can be far from this; its elevation, foundation, age, coverage and deductible all change the price.
FAQ sources: FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy; FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025); 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
Nearby neighborhoods
- Does Lauderdale Harbors flood?
- Does Nurmi Isles flood?
- Does Rio Vista Isles flood?
- Does Sunrise Key flood?
- Does Bay Harbor flood?
- Does Coral Ridge flood?
How these numbers were made
Area: the census-based definition above, using U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names. Flood zone shares: the area polygon intersected with FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels, area computed in an equal-area projection; retrieved October 28, 2026. Claims: OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Claims v3 records for Broward County (county code 12011), dataset as of September 8, 2026, retrieved October 28, 2026. Claims are counted for exactly the block groups that make up the area. Block groups used: 120110422001. Neighboring pages can share a block group, so their counts can overlap. Paid totals add building, contents and Increased Cost of Compliance payments and are not adjusted for inflation; a claim whose FEMA record shows a negative payment (an adjustment) counts as zero. See the methodology.
Sources
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Claims - v3. Retrieved on October 28, 2026.
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL), Flood Hazard Zones and FIRM Panels. Retrieved on October 28, 2026.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, 2010 Census Block Groups and U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) domestic names.
- FEMA Glossary: Flood Zones.
- FloodSmart (NFIP): Buy a Flood Insurance Policy.
- FEMA Fact Sheet: Think you don’t need flood insurance? Think again (Jan. 21, 2025).
- 44 CFR 61.11, Effective date and time of coverage.
- OpenFEMA Terms and Conditions.
- FEMA OpenFEMA Dataset: FIMA NFIP Redacted Policies - v3.
- U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb, Transportation (primary, secondary and local roads).
Data as of September 8, 2026 (FEMA claims) and October 28, 2026 (flood zones). Page last updated October 28, 2026.