Where Cities Flout Flood Protection Rules, the Public Still Subsidizes Insurance

Christopher Flavelle and John Schwartz report:

It’s a simple rule, designed to protect both homeowners and taxpayers: If you want publicly subsidized flood insurance, you can’t build a home that’s likely to flood.

But local governments around the country, which are responsible for enforcing the rule, have flouted the requirements, accounting for as many as a quarter-million insurance policies in violation, according to data provided to The New York Times by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the flood insurance program. Those structures accounted for more than $1 billion in flood claims during the past decade, the data show.

The article details the National Flood Insurance Program, in its intent, its practice, and its potential to do a better job in protecting property owners from floods and protecting government waste. By the New York Times count, 112,480 structures nationwide have been built out of conformity with the National Flood Insurance Program, as enforced by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, since regulations took effect some two decades ago.