Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ease strict regulations hindering families still recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Moody is calling for flexibility within the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to help Floridians rebuild and repair homes without facing overwhelming financial burdens.
In the wake of the storms, many residents are unable to repair or reconstruct homes due to NFIP regulations that require substantial improvements to comply with flood-resistant building standards. These rules disproportionately impact low-income families living in older homes, leaving many with no choice but to abandon their properties.
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“Florida was recently devastated by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, leaving some Floridians with only debris where their homes once stood,” said Attorney General Moody. “While the recovery process has begun, burdensome regulations are making it so people cannot afford to repair damage and could force them to leave the communities they love. I’m calling on FEMA to ease the burden on these families who are struggling to rebuild on limited budgets.”
In a formal letter to Acting Federal Insurance Assistant Administrator Jeffery Jackson, Moody highlighted the struggles faced by homeowners affected by the storms. According to NFIP regulations, homes requiring “substantial improvements” — defined as repairs costing at least 50% of the property’s pre-storm value — must be fully rebuilt to meet updated flood-resistant codes.
“Essentially, this means that if a citizen has any damage to their home that would cost half the pre-storm value of their home to be repaired, no other work on the home can be performed without updating the entire home to NFIP’s specifications,” Moody explained.
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Moody stressed the urgent need for reform, particularly for residents in low-income areas who cannot afford to meet the updated standards. “While it is preferable for any home to be built to the most current standards, many of those suffering most from the storms lived in older homes in low-income areas and do not have the resources to fundamentally rebuild their homes,” Moody said. “In circumstances like this, many people will simply abandon their home and, possibly, have no choice but to leave the community they love altogether.”
To address this crisis, Attorney General Moody is calling on FEMA to:
- Expand the availability of variances to allow more flexibility in rebuilding.
- Increase funding to help families bring homes up to NFIP standards.
Moody’s plea aims to balance the need for flood-resistant construction with the reality faced by Florida families who lack the financial means for costly renovations. The proposal seeks to ensure that recovery efforts allow residents to rebuild their homes and remain in their communities.
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