Homes built with federal loans will face lower flood standards again

The federal housing agency is proposing to undo new rules that briefly required properties it supports to meet higher flood protection standards. This means homes built with federal backing will return to older, less stringent flood safety requirements.

The federal government briefly required new homes in flood zones, especially those with federal backing, to be built to higher standards. This proposed rule reverses that, allowing construction to continue under older, less protective rules. This shift means more homes will be built in flood-prone areas with less resilience, potentially increasing future disaster costs for homeowners and taxpayers.