Houston’s population is growing quickly, but when Harvey hit last weekend there were far fewer homes and other properties in the area with flood insurance than just five years ago, according to an Associated Press investigation.
The sharp, 9 percent drop in coverage means many residents fleeing Harvey’s floodwaters have no financial backup to fix up their homes and will have to draw on savings or go into debt – or perhaps be forced to sell.
A former head of the federal flood insurance program called the drops “unbelievable” and criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the program.
“When you start to see policies drop like this, FEMA should have done something about this,” said Robert Hunter, who ran the program in the late ’70s. He estimates that fewer than two of 10 homeowners with flood damage have flood insurance.
In this photo taken July 15, 2017, FEMA Administrator Brock Long speaks in Providence, R.I. Houston’s population is growing quickly, but when Harvey hit last weekend there were far fewer homes and other properties in the area with flood insurance than just five years ago, according to an Associated Press investigation. Long, told the AP he was uncertain what was driving the drop in insurance coverage in Houston. He said storm victims who have lost their homes and are uninsured could seek assistance through the Small Business Administration, which offers loans. (AP Photo/Stephan Savoia, File)Houston’s Harris County has 25,000 fewer flood-insured properties than it did in 2012, according to the AP’s review of FEMA data.