Flood Risk
Looking for a Beach House? Check Your Risk First.
A new report from the insurance industry names the historic town of Galveston, Texas as the riskiest place to buy a beach house in the United States.
Study: FEMA Buyout Program Could be Accelerating Segregation
A new analysis of the relocation patterns of households that participate in FEMA’s flood buyout program reveals a pattern of increased racial segregation.
Houston-Area Flood Insurance Costs Eat Into Region's Affordability
A reorganization of FEMA’s flood insurance program will mean increases in insurance costs for coastal homeowners.
U.S. Houses Facing Increased Flood Risk Overvalued by as Much as $237 Billion, Study Says
Housing markets are failing to price in climate risks in their assessment of housing values, according to a recent study published by Nature.
L.A. County Calls for Flood Control Improvements
Recently revealed estimates put far more people in the region at risk for catastrophic flooding than previously thought.
The True Scale of Flood Hazard Facing Los Angeles
New research sheds light on how L.A.’s aging and poorly maintained infrastructure is putting hundreds of thousands more residents in flood hazard zones than previously estimated.
Access to Flood Risk Data Shifts Homebuyer Behavior
With climate risks threatening more communities, providing clear, accessible risk information to potential homebuyers can help households make informed decisions and inform local resiliency efforts.
Wastewater System Upgrade Plans Already Out of Date
Some Midwest cities' plans to upgrade decades-old sewer systems rely on outdated rainfall predictions as flood risks grow due to climate change and shifting weather patterns.
FEMA Flood Insurance Updates Reflect Actual Risk to Each Home
Changes to how FEMA calculates flood risk will assess risk at a home-by-home level, rather than estimating the same risk to all homes in the same floodplain.
NPR: HUD Sells Flood-Prone Homes Without Disclosing Risks
The troubling trend is particularly pronounced in lower-income communities, where experts worry households are being inadvertently set up for big financial losses.
Most Americans Unaware of Flood Risks, Study Finds
The lack of disclosure laws in most states has led to an overvaluation of homes located in floodplains across the country.
Proposed Citywide Rezoning Would Layer Resilience in New York City
With 520 miles of coastline, New York City is ready to implement the lessons of Hurricane Sandy in the zoning code for the entire city.
Florida Real Estate Market Sounds Climate Alarms
New research suggests that real estate values were declining before prices started falling, but a climate-driven housing crisis could already be here in coastal Florida.
Flood Risk Upends the North Carolina Housing Market
Inequalities in the housing market of coastal North Carolina communities have already been exacerbated by the effects of extreme weather and climate change.
The Social Dynamics of Houston's Urban Expansion
A new study published in the Land Use Policy journal explains how Houston's rapid expansion occurred, and why it matters.
Home Valuation Needs to Consider the Risk of Climate Change
Climate change-fueled sea-level rise could cause a housing crisis of a new sort if the federal government doesn't reconsider valuation policies.
New Study Reveals Massive, Unaccounted Flood Risk
The Federal Emergency Management Agency undercounts the humber of homes at substantial risk of flooding by some 70 percent, according to a report released this week.
Saying 'No' to Development in Climate Risk Areas
Only a few places have managed to stem the tide of development in areas at risk to the effects (like wildfire and flooding) of climate change. Virginia Beach is an early test bed for what it takes to tell developers "no."
Looking Beyond FEMA Flood Maps, Cities Raise the Bar for Buildings in Floodplains
Cities across the country are developing floodplain construction standards that are more stringent than those required by FEMA.
Knoxville-Knox County Planning
City of Stonecrest
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Washington University
Mpact: Mobility, Community, Possibility
National Capital Planning Commission
City of Culver City
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
