In about a week, increased flood insurance rates will take effect for thousands of people and local officials are pushing lawmakers to do something.

St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster was at the state Capitol on Tuesday to talk to the Florida Cabinet. Local and state leaders want something done about the flood insurance rate hikes.

“Words like devastate are not an exaggeration when it comes to Biggert-Waters,” said Foster.

Foster was one of a handful of local leaders invited to Tallahassee to talk about the insurance problem.

Governor Rick Scott hopes federal leaders will listen and do something about it.

Pinellas Realtors like Brandi Gabbard are also getting the chance to tell the personal stories of people about to face massive flood insurance rate hikes.

“The seller of a $135,000 home in a flood zone in one of our more desirable first time homebuyer neighborhoods put their home on the market to not even receive one call, one inquiry, one showing,” said Brandi Gabbard, Pinellas Realtor Organization.

The Biggert-Waters Act was passed last year to offset the National Flood Insurance Program’s $20 billion debt.

The law ends subsides and doesn’t allow homes in flood prone areas to be grandfathered in.

Mayor Foster said it’s the right idea but the wrong method.

He’s calling on Florida lawmakers to do something if the Federal Government does not.

“General Bondi should consider taking legal action solely for the purpose of hitting pause to give us time as a state a county and a city to come up with an equitable solution addressing affordability,” said Foster.

State Representative Dwight Dudley said he’s getting positive feedback from his fellow congressmen and congresswomen on his call for a statewide delay of Biggert Waters.

There is legislation in front of the House and Senate in Washington D.C.

Florida Senator Bill Nelson sent a letter to Governor Scott asking him to talk to Republican leaders about getting the necessary votes to pass a delay.

Senator Nelson created a piece of legislation to do so.

Congress is expected to deal with this issue sometime this week before the rates take effect on October 1st.