Latest news with #FloodHazard
Hindustan Times
14-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
FEMA approved Camp Mystic to exempt structures from flood zone designation? Here's what we know
More than a decade before devastating floods swept through Central Texas and killed 27 people at Camp Mystic, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted the camp's request to remove several buildings from the official flood zone, according to agency records. FEMA approved an appeal from Camp Mystic, a Christian camp for girls, to exclude 15 of its buildings near the Guadalupe River from what's called a Special Flood Hazard Area.(Bloomberg) Back in 2013, FEMA approved an appeal from Camp Mystic, a Christian camp for girls, to exclude 15 of its buildings near the Guadalupe River from what is known as a Special Flood Hazard Area. That's the zone where a so-called '100-year flood' — one with a 1% chance of happening in any year — could hit, according to Washington Post report. FEMA documents show that some of those buildings were just a few feet above the level a major flood might reach. At least one was actually below it. Still, the exemption meant the camp didn't have to carry flood insurance for those structures anymore. Other parts of the camp stayed in the flood zone and remained subject to various federal, state, and local building rules for those areas. Also Read: New Texas flash flood warnings affect Guadalupe River, Camp Mystic rescue efforts. What did officials say Camp Mystic made two more successful appeals to FEMA As Camp Mystic expanded, it made two more successful appeals to FEMA in 2019 and 2020, removing another 15 buildings from the flood zone designations. The Associated Press first reported on these appeals, which offer some insight into how both Camp Mystic and FEMA evaluated flood risks over the years. The revelations are now drawing new attention after the deadly July 4 floods that left at least 129 people dead in Central Texas. According to river gauge data from Hunt, Texas, the Guadalupe River rose nearly 30 feet in under four hours that morning. At Camp Mystic, the river's waters rushed into cabins just after daybreak. Campers and counselors had to escape through waist-deep water, some of them barefoot. Sarah Pralle, a political science professor at Syracuse University who studies FEMA's flood maps, said the camp's repeated efforts to challenge FEMA's designations raise serious concerns. 'Not just disappointing; it's very disturbing,' Pralle said. 'You would think that, in that situation, they would err on the side of extreme caution given who they are supposed to be taking care of.' Camp Mystic spokesman Jeff Carr confirmed in an email that the camp had filed appeals and that FEMA approved them, adding, 'just as 90% of all such appeals are approved by FEMA.' Pralle explained that it's becoming more common for property owners to challenge FEMA's maps to avoid the cost of flood insurance or the limitations that come with building in flood-prone areas. But she also pointed out that flood-related deaths have gone up across the US 'There's just a lot of places that are not taking risks seriously,' she said. 'We're trying to shrink the [FEMA] maps and take properties out of them, and it just seems like the wrong way to be going.' Also Read: Camp Mystic: Haunting visuals reveal aftermath of deadly Texas flood that left 27 dead 'Flood maps are snapshots…' The agency said, 'Flood maps are snapshots in time designed to show minimum standards for floodplain management and the highest risk areas for flood insurance.' Meanwhile, other data pointed to a bigger risk at Camp Mystic than FEMA's maps showed. A model from First Street, a private climate risk modeling company, outlined a broader flood zone along the Guadalupe River, putting even more camp buildings at risk. Jeremy Porter, who leads climate research at First Street, said their model also considers extreme rainfall, unlike FEMA's maps. 'That area actually has one of the highest flood indices across the whole country in terms of the likelihood of flooding,' Porter said. On Sunday, the area was hit with flooding again, forcing authorities to pause the search for those still missing after the July 4 disaster. Porter said that instead of challenging FEMA's flood designations, Camp Mystic's leaders would have been better off focusing their time on preparing for a flood.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Climate Change Is Coming for the Housing Market
The financial toll of climate change isn't just theoretical — it's hitting home, quite literally. According to First Street, a climate research firm, weather-related disasters could drive a 380 percent surge in U.S. foreclosures over the next decade. By 2035, nearly one in three foreclosures could be linked to climate impacts like flooding and wind damage. Who could be the hardest hit? First Street warns that moderate-income households are particularly vulnerable to severe weather damage. Since much of Americans' wealth is tied up in their property values, this trend could lead to financial devastation for many families. The fallout won't stop with homeowners. As climate-driven foreclosures climb, lenders could face losses of $1.2 billion annually by this year, potentially soaring to $5.4 billion over the next decade as they absorb the cost of mortgage defaults. But don't assume this crisis will only affect coastal areas. Here's a closer look at where climate-related foreclosures are expected to rise. According to First Street, U.S. communities most at risk for climate-related foreclosures in the coming years are typically densely populated, high-property-value areas with many underinsured homeowners, often located along the coasts. Florida stands out as a prime example. It's home to eight of the top 10 counties projected to face the highest credit losses from extreme weather. In particular, Duval County, which includes Jacksonville, could see up to $60 million in credit losses — caused by customers or borrowers failing to repay debts or loans — from 900 foreclosures during a severe weather year, based on CBS's analysis of First Street's data. And it's not just the Southeast — further north, Ocean County, New Jersey, could see credit losses reaching $13 million. California is also projected to face billions in losses across the state. San Bernardino County, for example, could incur up to $13 million in credit losses, while Sonoma County might see around $2 million. A similar trend is emerging in the South, where Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, could face losses as high as $34 million. The financial fallout from climate change won't stop at the coasts. Inland regions like the Mountain West and the Great Lakes are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related credit losses, too. According to First Street Foundation, flooding is a key driver behind rising foreclosure rates in these areas, particularly where homeowners lack flood insurance and are more likely to default on their mortgages. Unlike standard homeowners insurance, flood coverage isn't broadly required. It's mandated only for those with federally backed mortgages who live in FEMA's designated Special Flood Hazard Areas. As of August 2023, just 3.1 million flood insurance policies were active under the National Flood Insurance Program. But the true scale of risk goes far beyond that; FEMA's maps identify about 8 million properties in high-risk flood zones, yet First Street estimates nearly 18 million homes nationwide face substantial flood risk. Why the gap? FEMA's flood maps primarily account for river overflows and coastal storm surges, leaving out a major and growing threat: extreme rainfall. As climate change intensifies, so do rain-driven floods that can hit neighborhoods well beyond the official flood zones. This insurance blind spot has costly consequences. First Street's analysis of 29 flood events between 2002 and 2019 found that homes outside FEMA's designated zones saw foreclosure rates 52 percent higher, on average, than those within the zones. It's a jarring warning sign: Homeowners who think they're safe, or aren't required to carry flood insurance, may be most at risk. Unfortunately, FEMA's flood maps aren't likely to be updated anytime soon. The Association of State Floodplain Managers estimates it could cost up to $11.8 billion to complete new mapping — a price tag unlikely to be met, especially amid federal budget cuts across the board. Given this, experts say the best step homeowners can take is to check whether they have flood insurance. 'If you don't protect yourselves, then when the event does occur, it's completely on you,' Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications at First Street, told CBS. 'You end up having to pay out of pocket and you may go into foreclosure.' The post Climate Change Is Coming for the Housing Market appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kokua Line: Is hardship grounds for flood map appeal?
Question : Regarding Oahu's new flood map, the city says you can appeal if your property is placed in a high-risk zone and you have to get flood insurance because of that. Is hardship a grounds for appeal ? Answer : No. 'An appeal is a formal written objection to the addition / modification of Base Flood Elevations /Flood Depths, Special Flood Hazard Area boundaries, Zone designations, or regulatory floodway boundaries depicted on the preliminary (Flood Insurance Rate Maps ). An appeal must be accompanied by data and documentation, certified by a registered professional engineer or licensed land surveyor, indicating how the proposed new or modified flood hazard information shown on the preliminary FIRMs is scientifically or technically incorrect, ' according to the city website explaining the Federal Emergency Management Agency's update of the map. As Kokua Line reported in October (), FEMA spent several years analyzing flood risks along Oahu streams to update the FIRMs, including in areas that had never been flood-mapped before. As a result, thousands of Oahu properties previously noted as having an undetermined flood risk are designated on the preliminary FIRMs as being in Special Flood Hazard Areas. Owners of those properties may have to buy flood insurance if they have a federally backed loan or mortgage on the property, and comply with local laws regarding construction and development in flood hazard areas. Before the process to finalize the preliminary FIRMS begins, there will be a 90-day public appeal and comment period, which starts Thursday and runs through June 10. Owners can appeal changes to their property's flood-risk designation, and the public can submit comments and ask questions. For more information, including instructions on filing an appeal, go to. The site also has a link to the flood map so owners can check their property's current and proposed status. The FIRMs are not expected to be finalized until spring 2026, after FEMA addresses all appeals, issues a letter of final determination and oversees a six-month adoption /compliance period. At the end of that period, 'the FIRMs become effective, along with all regulatory and flood insurance requirements, ' the website says. Don 't miss out on what 's happening ! Stay in touch with breaking news, as it happens, conveniently in your email inbox. It 's FREE ! Email 28141 Sign Up By clicking to sign up, you agree to Star-Advertiser 's and Google 's and. This form is protected by reCAPTCHA. Q : Regarding license plates, is the shaka license plate an organization license plate ? Why couldn't the city use that one in the shortage ? Seems more local. A : Yes, the Hawaii license plate with a shaka decal is an organization license plate, and it is available for purchase. It's not the default alternative during a shortage of standard license plates because it costs more than a standard license plate and more than the organization license plate the Division of Motor Vehicles is using as the default alternative until the supply of standard plates is replenished. The default is the American United 9 /11 decal license plate because it costs the same as a plain license plate : $5.50 upon issuance, with no additional annual fee. By contrast, the Project Shaka license plate costs $30.50 initially and $25 for annual renewal ; $20 of each purchase (issuance and renewal ) goes to the nonprofit ID8 'to fund its efforts to help curb road rage incidents on O 'ahu, ' according to a city news release in May, when the shaka decal plate first became available. The decal features Hawaii's universal gesture of goodwill. As Kokua Line has previously reported, license plates spelling 'Hawai 'i ' with an okina as required by a state law approved in 2024 are not yet widely available ; the supply is expected to be fully restocked by May.
