National Flood Insurance Program

Floodwater surrounds a house on September 01, 2021 in Jean Lafitte, Louisiana. Hurricane Ida made landfall as a powerful Category 4 bringing flooding and wind damage along the Gulf Coast.

National

Ten states and scores of local governments sue FEMA over higher flood insurance rates

7:08pm June 01, 2023

by Debbie Elliott

The states - from the Gulf Coast, the west and Midwest - along with dozens of municipalities are trying to block rate hikes under the National Flood Insurance Program.

Homes that were sold by the Department of Housing and Urban Development between January 2017 and August 2020 are in federally designated flood zones at almost 75 times the rate of all homes sold nationwide in that period. New Jersey is one hot spot. Here,

Science

The Federal Government Sells Flood-Prone Homes To Often Unsuspecting Buyers, NPR Finds

4:04pm September 13, 2021

The Department of Housing and Urban Development disproportionately sells homes in flood-prone areas, NPR finds. Housing experts warn that this can lead to big losses for vulnerable families.

Lachlan Barilleau, 5, enjoys catching insects in his backyard in Central, near Baton Rouge, La.

Science

Living In Harm's Way: Why Most Flood Risk Is Not Disclosed

5:33pm October 20, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

About 15 million properties in the U.S. are prone to flooding, but patchwork and ineffective disclosure laws mean most people get little to no information about flood risk before they move.

Queue Listen Now

A new report finds FEMA is not effectively allocating money for homes that repeatedly flood. More than 100 homes in Cameron Parish, La., have flooded multiple times according to FEMA data.

Science

Inspector General Slams FEMA Over Repeatedly Flooded Homes

11:36am September 15, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

These homeowners are eligible for federal help, but a new report finds that FEMA often fails to provide that assistance.

A flooded street in Orange, Texas in 2017. Climate-driven extreme rain and sea level rise, coupled with development in flood-prone areas, have led to more competition for limited federal flood mitigation dollars.

Science

States Prepare To Spend Millions To Address Flooding

10:55am July 06, 2020

by Rebecca Hersher

States including Virginia and Texas have set aside significant money to address flooding. Local officials hope it will help pay for flood prevention projects that the federal government won't fund.

Hurricane Harvey's devastating flooding caught many homeowners by surprise, and prompted support for more disclosure about flood risk.

In Texas, Home Sellers Must Now Disclose More About The Risk Of Flooding

7:00am October 27, 2019

by Mose Buchele

In many places there's no requirement to tell a home buyer if a house is at risk of flooding, even as climate change increases that risk. Some hope a new Texas law will be a national model.

More precipitation fell in the continental U.S. in the 12 months ending in May 2019 than ever recorded. Records go back more than 120 years. Blue areas had more groundwater than usual for May. Orange and red areas had less.

Small Towns Fear They Are Unprepared For Future Climate-Driven Flooding

4:59pm July 25, 2019

by Rebecca Hersher

The central U.S. just experienced the most widespread river flooding ever recorded there. Flood defenses in major cities largely performed well, but many smaller communities were simply overwhelmed.

A box of trash overflows near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., this week as some government services have been stopped during a partial government shutdown.

Fallout Grows As Partial Government Shutdown Drags On Into New Year

11:45am December 29, 2018

by Scott Horsley

There's no end in sight for the spending standoff that has forced the shutdown of about a quarter of the federal government. The longer the shutdown continues, the more services will be affected.

Queue Listen Now

Early Data From Harvey Shows Epic Flooding

9:56pm September 01, 2017

by Christopher Joyce

Government flood maps may need to be withdrawn following Harvey. That, in turn, could have implications for insurers.

Larry Koser Jr. (left) and his son, Matthew, look for important papers and heirlooms inside his house after it was flooded by heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey.

Insurers Gear Up For Deluge Of Claims, Hope To Avoid Sandy Repeat

5:27pm August 31, 2017

by Charles Lane

To work all the expected flood claims, insurance companies will rely on hundreds of small processing companies. Some worry that inexperienced claims adjusters will do more harm than good.