Research Reports

Recent changes to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are critically impacting Pennsylvania because of its history of flooding, its pattern of development along rivers and streams, the age of its structures, and its system of local government. This research explores the impacts of the Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 on Pennsylvania's rural communities in the following ways: review the legal and policy framework at a federal, state, local, and individual level; examines the demographic and geospatial information associated with flood-impacted communities in Pennsylvania; examines the economic impact tho the housing markets in floodplains; and explores how flooding, flood insurance, and other federal and Commonwealth programs have impacted Pennsylvania's rural communities. The final recommendations suggest that Pennsylvania may be able to help its rural communities through policy changes at several levels.