(Associated Press) Houston’s population is growing quickly, but when Harvey hit last weekend there were far fewer homes and other properties in the area with flood insurance than just five years ago, according to an Associated Press investigation.
The sharp, 9 percent drop in coverage means many residents fleeing Harvey’s floodwaters have no financial backup to fix up their homes and will have to draw on savings or go into debt — or perhaps be forced to sell.
A former head of the federal flood insurance program called the drops “unbelievable” and criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which oversees the program.
“When you start to see policies drop like this, FEMA should have done something about this,” said Robert Hunter, who ran the program in the late ’70s. He estimates that fewer than two of 10 homeowners with flood damage have flood insurance.
