Trump administration ends plan to strengthen homes in flood zones

Bryan Woolston | Reuters

Flood water from Hurricane Irma surround a damaged mobile home in Bonita Springs, Florida, September 10, 2017.

The Trump administration has ended a proposed rule about strengthening new and rebuilt homes in flood zones against damage, the New York Daily News reported Monday.

The report, which did not specifically name its sources, comes just as the United States aims to rebuild from damage to parts of Texas and Florida after lashings from two major hurricanes, Harvey and Irma.

The Obama-era plan would have made flood zones larger and required certain homes to get built at higher elevation or flood-proofed. The proposal followed Superstorm Sandy, which inflicted major damage on parts of New Jersey and New York in 2012.

Dan Zarrilli, who oversees Sandy recovery for New York City, decried the move to the Daily News, calling it “terrible” and contending that houses will be “built to lower standards because the feds aren’t looking at addressing the effects of climate change.”

The Mortgage Bankers Association had criticized the proposed rule, saying it added uncertainty to the lending process and could increase the costs of lending and construction.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Zarrilli could not immediately be reached for comment.

Read the Daily News report here.