Flood Plains System Rigged Against Homeowners

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, many homeowners outside of Houston found their homes flooded, despite being listed outside of the designated flood plain area. The Houston Chronicle talked to Maxwell Associate Professor of Political Science Sarah Pralle about this issue.

“Officials are concerned about the financial burden on individual property owners, but also worry about decreased property values and increased restrictions on development,” she said. “Community negotiations with FEMA can result in significant changes to the final map.”