On May 7, 2026, the FEMA Review Council finalized its report recommending significant reforms to federal disaster assistance programs, including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and a rebalancing of responsibilities between federal, state, and local governments.
In joint comments, NAR and the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) supported several report recommendations, raised concerns about others, and highlighted implications for federal disaster and housing policy.
Key Letter Takeaways
- Supports several recommendations to strengthen FEMA’s supporting role, including expediting mitigation funding, simplifying disaster aid programs, and modernizing the NFIP.
- Raises concerns with NFIP privatization and reducing federal disaster assistance through higher thresholds, narrowing individual assistance, and tying public assistance to parametric triggers rather than actual damage.
- Welcomes the opportunity to engage on additional topics, including a long-term NFIP reauthorization package and a continued federal role in long-term housing recovery.
Next Steps
The Council indicated that many recommendations would require legislation, while some could be implemented through rulemaking or executive order. The report lends support to several provisions included in the NAR-supported FEMA Act (H.R. 4669), which was passed by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and awaits House floor consideration.
NAR will continue to advocate for federal disaster policies that reform FEMA and the NFIP while reinforcing the agency’s critical role in supporting state and community response, recovery, and long-term resilience following major disasters.
Read the joint commentspdf.