Meeting National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) requirements is the most cost-effective way to reduce the flood risk to new buildings and infrastructure.
FEMA provides tools and resources to help communities navigate NFIP requirements and implement higher standards of floodplain management. State and federal agencies, tribal governments, local communities and property owners have a role in reducing flood risk and helping communities become more resilient.
From states providing strong model ordinances, to communities adopting and enforcing higher-standard building practices, to property owners elevating their homes, everyone can play a part in making communities safer and more resistant to flood disasters.
In October 2021, FEMA published a Request for Information notice in the Federal Register seeking public comment on the National Flood Insurance Program’s minimum floodplain standards. The notice also requested comments on how the program could better promote the conservation of threatened and endangered species and their habitats consistent with the Endangered Species Act.