Climate Change, Real Estate, and Adaptation: Why Flood Disclosure Matters with NRDC

In episode 225 of America Adapts, we explore flood risk disclosure—a simple yet powerful climate adaptation tool that helps homebuyers avoid financial disaster while building more resilient communities. As climate change worsens flooding and federal support for resilience efforts declines, some states are stepping up with smart policies to protect homeowners before disaster strikes. I'm joined by Joel Scata from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) to discuss the push for stronger flood disclosure laws, plus a homeowner who learned the hard way what happens when flood risks aren't disclosed. We'll also highlight state success stories and how these policies can be a key part of climate adaptation.

Guests/experts in this episode:

• Joel Scata – Senior Attorney, Environmental Health NRDC (transcript)

• Larry Baeder – Senior Data Scientist Milliman (transcript)

• Jackie Jones – Homeowner, Georgia (transcript)

• Jesse Gourevitch – Economist at Environmental Defense Fund (transcript)

• Brooks Rainey Pearson - Legislative Counsel, Southern Environmental Law Center (transcript)

• Tyler Taba – Director of Resilience, Waterfront Alliance (transcript)

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Links in this episode:

https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/millimaninc5660-milliman6442-prod27d5-0001/media/Milliman/PDFs/2025-Articles/1-13-25_NRDC_Estimating-Undisclosed-Flood-Risk.pdf

https://www.nrdc.org/bio/joel-scata/flooding-can-put-unsuspecting-home-buyers-financially-underwater

https://www.southernenvironment.org/press-release/north-carolina-real-estate-commission-petitioned-to-disclose-flood-history/

https://www.selc.org/press-release/nc-real-estate-commission-to-disclose-flood-history-to-buyers/

https://www.southernenvironment.org/press-release/south-carolina-real-estate-commission-to-require-disclosure-of-flood-history-to-buyers/

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Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

Strategies to Address Climate Change Risk in Low- and Moderate-income Communities - Volume 14, Issue 1 https://www.frbsf.org/community-development/publications/community-development-investment-review/2019/october/strategies-to-address-climate-change-low-moderate-income-communities/

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