Property search
How residents find properties on your public website
Property details
What residents see on property pages
Managing resident logs
Review and respond to Get Help requests
Accepting submissions
Process forms and documents from residents
What the public website offers
The public website gives residents access to flood information without requiring staff assistance:| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Property search | Search by address, parcel ID, block and lot, or map click |
| Flood information | View flood zone, Base Flood Elevation, and FIRM panel data |
| Interactive map | Explore properties and public map layers |
| Highlights | Quick access to featured resources and links on the homepage |
| Public records | View records configured for public access |
| Public files | Download Elevation Certificates and other public documents |
| Get Help form | Submit information requests that create log records for staff follow-up |
| Record submission | Submit forms and upload documents like Elevation Certificates (if enabled) |
| Public user accounts | Create accounts to track submissions (if enabled) |
The public website is an add-on feature that must be enabled for your account. Contact your Customer Success Manager to set up or configure your public portal.
Who uses the public website
The primary audience for the public website includes:- Homeowners researching their flood risk before purchasing insurance
- Property buyers conducting due diligence on properties
- Contractors and developers checking flood requirements for projects
- Insurance agents verifying flood zone information for clients
- Real estate professionals accessing property flood data
- Community members exploring community flood information
Two types of access
Guest access (no account required)- Search and view properties
- View public records and files
- Download Elevation Certificates
- Submit Get Help requests
- Access public table views and maps
- All guest capabilities plus:
- Track submitted requests in My Submissions
- Submit forms requiring authentication
- Receive email notifications on submission status
How residents find your public website
Residents access your public website through a dedicated URL for your community:- Your community’s main website (link in footer or resources section)
- Email communications and newsletters
- Permit applications and correspondence
- Public notices and mailings
- Social media channels
- Community meetings and events
Public website homepage
When residents visit your public website, they see a homepage designed for quick property lookup: Homepage elements:- Search bar - Prominent address search to find properties
- Interactive map - Visual property lookup with flood zone layers
- Community branding - Your logo and colors for recognition
- Highlights - Featured links to important resources (configurable)
- Banner message - Optional announcements or alerts (configurable)
- Language selector - Switch between available languages (if configured)
Key features
Property search and lookup
Residents can find properties through multiple methods:- Address search - Type a street address to find matching properties
- Parcel ID search - Look up by parcel identification number (if enabled)
- Block and lot - Search by block and lot numbers (if enabled)
- Map click - Click directly on the map to select a property
Property details
When a resident selects a property, they see:- Location - Address, map view, and parcel boundaries
- Flood zone - Zone designation (AE, X, VE, etc.) and SFHA status
- Elevation data - Base Flood Elevation and related measurements
- Public records - Records configured for public visibility
- Public files - Documents available for download
Get Help form and resident logs
The Get Help form allows residents to request information or assistance. Each request creates a log record that appears in your Logs table:- Flood risk information requests
- Site visit requests
- Flood insurance questions
- Property purchase inquiries
- Construction guidance requests
Public submissions
If enabled, residents can submit forms and upload documents through your public website:- Elevation Certificates - ECs are automatically processed and data is extracted
- Permit applications - Floodplain development permit requests
- Other forms - Community-specific submission types
Public user accounts
Optional accounts give residents additional features:- Track all their submissions in one place
- Receive status updates via email
- Submit forms requiring authentication
- Access personalized information
What’s shared publicly
Your Customer Success Manager configures what information appears on the public website. By default, most data is private, and public visibility must be explicitly enabled.Typically public
- Flood zone designations
- Base Flood Elevation data
- FIRM panel references
- Approved permit records (if configured)
- Completed inspections (if configured)
- Elevation Certificates (if configured)
Typically private
- Owner names and contact information
- Internal staff notes and comments
- Draft or pending records
- Sensitive property details
- Workflow status and assignments
- Staff user information
Related public features
The public website integrates with other public-facing features in Forerunner: Public table views - Share filtered, read-only data tables on your public website. Residents can search and filter to find relevant information. Learn more about public table views. Public map layers - Display geographic data like flood zones, infrastructure, and community boundaries on the public map. Learn more about public map layers. Record public sharing - Control which records appear publicly and manage visibility at both the record type and individual record level. Learn more about record public sharing.Customization options
Work with your Customer Success Manager to customize your public website:Branding
- Logo - Display your community’s logo
- Colors - Match your brand colors
- Title - Customize the navigation bar title
- Banner - Add announcements or alerts
Content
- Homepage title - Customize the search prompt
- Highlights - Feature important resources on the homepage
- Help options - Configure Get Help form options
- Languages - Enable multiple language support
Features
- Search options - Enable parcel ID or block/lot search
- EC submission - Allow public Elevation Certificate uploads
- Public accounts - Enable resident account creation
- Map layers - Configure which layers appear publicly
Visibility
- Property attributes - Choose which fields display publicly
- Record types - Set default visibility for each record type
- File types - Configure document visibility
- Map layers - Select public vs. private layers
Mobile access
The public website is fully responsive and works on all devices:- Smartphones and tablets
- Desktop browsers
- Touch-friendly interface
- Mobile-optimized maps
Getting help
If you have questions about your public website:- Configuration changes - Contact your Customer Success Manager
- Feature requests - Discuss with your CSM or Forerunner support
- Technical issues - Contact Forerunner support