NPR exclusive: Trump administration drops work on stronger building codes for disasters

For the past 25 years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has helped develop building codes, the construction standards that help houses survive hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes. Now, the Trump Administration has ordered that to stop, according to people involved with the work.

NPR has learned that FEMA is dropping out of the latest effort to improve building codes, taking its name off recommendations that its experts have already developed and submitted, according to several people with knowledge of the changes. They spoke on the condition of anonymity over concerns of reprisal from the Trump administration.

The recommendations FEMA submitted were filed with the International Code Council, an independent association that develops building codes used by states and local governments, since the U.S. does not have a national set of codes. The proposals FEMA is retracting its involvement from focus on helping homes survive strong winds, seismic shaking and rising floodwaters.

FEMA did not respond to questions about why it made the request and the ICC did not respond to questions about whether they were honoring it.

In recent years, Republican leaders have criticized FEMA and building codes, saying the regulations are burdensome. Strengthening building codes has historically been opposed by the homebuilding and construction industries over concerns about the cost. Studies show modern building codes have saved billions of dollars in damage from natural disasters.

Disaster experts say it's a concerning move, one not seen under the first Trump administration.

"FEMA is an important partner in making sure our country is resilient in the future," says Chad Berginnis, executive director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers. "When your family's safety is on the line, as well as the potential for losing everything, you better believe it's really important."

The ICC convenes experts and stakeholders in the building industry to review and improve building codes every three years, and is developing a new set of standards now. After they're approved, many local and state governments across the country adopt the codes, which set the mandatory construction rules in their communities.

Since FEMA pays out billions of dollars to help devastated communities rebuild, Congress directed the agency to encourage states to adopt more protective building codes for natural hazards. The damage from flooding alone hits $46 billion per year on average and is only expected to increase as hurricanes and rainstorms get more severe as the climate gets hotter.

"In an era of climate change, building codes take on a new importance" says Rob Moore, senior policy analyst with the Natural Resources Defense Council, a nonprofit environmental group. "Everything we build today needs to be built for the world we're going to inhabit decades from now. And we know what the failure to do that looks like because it's all around us."

Homes at extreme risk of flooding can be raised to avoid severe damage, like these Texas homes, hit by Hurricane Beryl in July.

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The building code developments are part of a broader upheaval at the agency.

FEMA, which has more than 20,000 employees, fired more than 200 employees last week, according to a spokesperson from the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA. Some of those are staff FEMA relies on to deploy during disasters, a move that disaster experts say will leave the agency less prepared for hurricane and wildfire season this summer.

FEMA already faces chronic understaffing during major floods and wildfires and is thousands of people short of its recruiting goals, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

Learning from previous disasters

When Hurricane Andrew hit the coast of Florida in 1992, the Category 5 storm made history as the most destructive and costliest to date. In the aftermath, a team from FEMA inspected the damaged homes, examining the blown-off roofs and exposed walls for what went wrong.

They found a fairly simple item could make a huge difference: a simple metal bracket that secures a roof to the rest of the house. Many home builders were only using nails at the time.

Using that report, Florida officials adopted some of the toughest building codes for hurricanes in the country in 2001, requiring roofs be built to withstand higher winds. That code reduced Florida's losses from wind damage by 72% over 10 years, according to one study.

Since then, FEMA experts have used natural disasters as learning tools to pinpoint how building codes could be improved. That feedback has helped inform the ICC's International Codes or "I-codes", which are now being updated for a 2027 version.

Flood experts say FEMA's withdrawal is a worrisome sign about where the agency is headed under the new administration, given the key role the agency has played in strengthening building codes and supporting local communities in adopting them.

"It would be not dissimilar from something like: the federal government is no longer interested in the National Transportation Safety Board investigating things like air disasters," Berginnis says. "The fact is we have to study and understand these disasters, why they occur, how our buildings perform, and then we need a strong FEMA to help present some of the analysis and proposals for change."

Long term payback of building codes

In September, House Republicans held a hearing questioning FEMA's focus on building codes and the added costs for homeowners to meet them, like raising the main floor of a house higher to avoid floodwater.

"I worry that federal overreach regarding building codes is imposing unnecessary burdens on businesses and property owners," said Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., at the hearing.

Studies show most building codes for floods and other hazards add 1% or 2% to the construction cost of a new home. Research also shows the benefits outweigh the initial investment. One FEMA study, looking at 18 million houses built since 2000, found that having modern building codes avoided $32 billion dollars in damage. After Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, researchers found that homes in Texas and Florida built with newer building codes had significantly less damage than older homes.

Building codes also play a key role in many of FEMA's programs. Some grants and funding are prioritized for communities that meet building flood standards. Regions also must adopt flood building codes in order to participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, which offers flood insurance. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that their general homeowners insurance doesn't cover floods.

FEMA is also expected to halt a new rule designed to protect public buildings, like schools and police stations, from floods. The Trump administration rescinded the rule the first time in office, and it was then reinstated by the Biden administration. Under the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard, public buildings must be built with a higher level of protection in order to receive federal funding from FEMA.

Experts say the standards for buildings today will matter for decades to come, since homes and public buildings endure for half a century or more.

"FEMA was supposed to be leading the discussion of how we build, where we build," Moore says. "It's really important to learn from the experience we just went through and rebuild better."

Ximena Bustillo contributed to this story.
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