New policies may be needed to encourage more responsible development and keep builders from constructing structures that will inevitably be flooded.

While floods can happen quickly, and the specifics of any individual flood can be surprising, they do happen regularly. According to a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, "Flooding is the most costly and most common natural disaster in the United States."
Some of the cost may be mitigated by regulation and development. Some properties face flooding again and again, and the costs of these disasters add up. According to the story, "1 in 10 repeatedly flooded properties have received payments worth more than their value." Because some areas are more likely to flood than others, the piece argues there may be a way to create laws that lessen the property damage. It goes on to say, "The Pew Charitable Trusts supports proactive policy solutions that will break the cycle of repeated flooding and rebuilding in order to better prepare people and property for natural disasters, improve public safety, and put the NFIP [National Flood Insurance Program] on stronger financial footing."
What is not covered in the Pew piece is the political cost of keeping those who have suffered a natural disaster, or many disasters, from rebuilding. Even if policies might make logical sense, they may be difficult for public servants to enact.
FULL STORY: Repeatedly Flooded Properties Cost Billions

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees
More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

HSR Reaches Key Settlement in Northern California City
The state’s high-speed rail authority reached an agreement with Millbrae, a key city on the train’s proposed route to San Francisco.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill
A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users
A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.
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