Americans Say Stricter Building Standards Are a Good Idea

Most Americans (77%) said stricter building standards are a good idea for communities at high risk of extreme weather, according to a new survey from the Pew Research Center. Additionally, 64% said it’s a good idea for the government to provide financial assistance for rebuilding after weather disasters.

These findings come amid conversations about scaling back the role of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in setting standards and working with states to handle disaster response.

The survey conducted from April 28 to May 4 among more than 5,000 U.S. adults explores attitudes about the steps government could take to address extreme weather impacts, as well as the link Americans see between extreme weather and climate change.

Key highlights of the Pew survey include:

• 41% said it’s a good idea for the government to help homeowners cover the rising cost of insurance, while 34% call it a bad idea.
• 39% said it’s a good idea to ban new construction in areas at high risk of extreme weather verses 28% who believe it’s a bad idea. Only 14% support requiring people to move out of high-risk areas. Pew found that on these questions and other policies, many Americans said they are not sure, underscoring the developing nature of public views on this issue.
• 74% of Americans said they’ve experienced at least one of five forms of extreme weather (blizzards, squall lines, atmospheric rivers, thunderstorms, and tornados) in the past 12 months. Eight-in-10 who experienced extreme weather in the last year said climate change contributed a lot or a little.
• Large shares of both Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents (84%) as well as Republicans and Republican leaners (71%) said it is a good idea for government to set stricter building standards for new construction in communities at high risk of extreme weather. Most also think it’s a good idea for government to provide financial assistance for people in high-risk areas to rebuild after extreme weather impacts.