ASFPM Joins National Coalition Urging Congress to Enact Long-Term NFIP Reauthorization
ASFPM is among 14 national organizations calling on congressional leaders to pass a long-term reauthorization and reform package for the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). In a joint letter sent December 2 to House and Senate leadership, the coalition — representing real estate, insurance, financial institutions, and flood management — warned that recurring short-term NFIP extensions have created instability for homeowners, housing markets, and communities that depend on the program not only for flood insurance, but also for its core functions around floodplain management, flood mapping, and flood mitigation assistance.
The coalition also noted that the recent record-long federal government shutdown caused the NFIP to lapse for more than a month, disrupting mortgage and commercial lending processes nationwide.
“As the federal government has reopened, we urge Congress to include authorization of the NFIP beyond the current fiscal year in future legislative proposals. More importantly, it is time to end the cycle of short-term extensions and program lapses that fuel instability in real estate markets and communities dependent on reliable flood coverage and mitigation support,” the organizations wrote.
The coalition expressed support for ongoing bipartisan efforts in the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee to develop a long-term authorization package. Proposed reforms outlined in the letter include nationwide modernization of FEMA’s flood maps, expanded mitigation assistance, and strengthened public-private partnerships between the NFIP and private insurers to broaden coverage options and improve affordability.
The NFIP has over 4.6 million flood insurance policies providing $1.3 trillion in coverage, with over 22,700 communities in 56 states and jurisdictions participating. Since 2017, 34 short-term NFIP reauthorizations have been enacted. The NFIP is currently authorized through January 30, 2026, requiring congressional action to prevent another lapse. In the letter, the organizations emphasized their readiness to work with Congress to “break this cycle of lapses and short-term extensions and deliver the certainty that communities and markets need to move forward.”
