Flood-prone sites remain open to residents as policy gaps persist

In western North Carolina and Texas’ Hill Country, people continue to live in or return to places exposed to flooding. ProPublica’s reporting describes outdated flood maps and limited local land-use rules as factors that can leave residents and communities facing repeated risk.

A mobile home park in Haywood County flooded in 2004, 2021 and 2024. During Hurricane Helene, Joe Rogers escaped, but his wife, Sandra, died after their home was swept downstream. The county bought out a nearby home after the 2004 floods, but not the park. Five campers now occupy riverfront lots where mobile homes stood before Helene.

Haywood County’s recovery officer told ProPublica he did not know it was possible to buy out a mobile home park. North Carolina Emergency Management said park buyouts follow the same process as other properties and require owners to participate. The park’s current owners did not respond to the reporting.

Many inland North Carolina flood maps date from the 1970s or 1980s, according to the reporting, and may not reflect subsequent development. ProPublica also reported that minimum federal floodplain rules can allow campers and recreational vehicles in flood-prone areas.

In the 2025 Central Texas floods, most of those who died were in locations the federal government identified as flood-prone, according to an analysis by ProPublica and the Texas Tribune. Texas has more structures in flood-prone areas than any state except Florida, the newsrooms’ analysis found.

After the Texas floods, the Association of State Floodplain Managers developed model ordinances covering annual campground permits in floodplains, updated emergency plans and restrictions on building in floodways. The reporting says Texas lawmakers have repeatedly failed to pass bills that would give local leaders more power to limit potentially unsafe development.