Climate change is laying waste to US homes.
Economic losses in North America — including to residential property — from storms, floods, fires, and other shocks exceeded US$133bn in 2025. Extreme weather is eroding the value of American homes, in some cases wiping it out entirely. That’s squeezing the insurers that underwrite them and straining state and local governments already grappling with shrinking property tax bases.
A handful of states are trying to stop the bleeding through Resilient Homes Grant Programs: initiatives that subsidize retrofits and rebuilds designed to harden properties against climate hazards, cutting losses for homeowners, insurers, and local governments alike.
In states like Alabama, these programs are already reaping dividends. A recent study of insurance claims and payments in the state following Hurricane Sally in 2020 found that homes with fortified roofs built to an industry-leading standard had at least 55% lower claim frequency and 15% lower claim severity than homes with standard roofs.
However, they’re not perfect — and much has to be done to scale these programs to support nationwide resilience.
Elyse Schupak is a policy advocate on the climate team at Public Citizen and co-author of a new report: Principles for Resilient Homes Grant Programs. In today’s episode, she explains why these programs have become a rare win-win-win for homeowners, insurers, and state budgets, and what needs to happen to boost their reach and effectiveness.
She also unpacks their shortcomings: the issues low- and moderate-income homeowners have accessing these programs, and the roughly 20% of homes in states like West Virginia, New Mexico, and Louisiana that carry no insurance at all and are locked out of most grant programs entirely.
Elyse also walks through the mechanics of admitted markets, surplus lines, and residual “fair plan” insurers, and makes a strong case for why insurance pricing shouldn't be treated as the definitive signal for where people should — or shouldn’t — live.
It’s a must-listen episode for those working at the intersection of climate risk, insurance, and resilient homebuilding.
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Louie Woodall
Editor
