“A one-size-fits-all national code is rigid and does not account for regional differences,” said Hughes. “Such an approach would impose numerous unnecessary requirements on builders, ultimately resulting in higher costs for home buyers.”
In his testimony, Hughes pointed to the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act, which would give local governments more control over how they adopt hazard-resistant building codes. He urged the Senate to support the measure, saying it would prevent FEMA from only funding jurisdictions that adopt the latest building codes without considering local conditions.
“Homes built to modern building codes have consistently demonstrated their ability to perform well during natural disasters,” said Hughes. He called for a focus on retrofitting the nation’s older housing stock, noting that most of the country’s homes were built before 2010 and lack the resilience of more modern buildings.
“The best way to withstand and recover from future natural disasters is to focus on cost-effective, market-driven solutions that encourage greater resiliency in the nation’s housing stock, heed the input of state and local governments in the code adoption process to address local conditions, expand mitigation opportunities, and target upgrades to existing structures and housing stock,” Hughes said. “This will increase resiliency and preserve affordability for both new and existing homes.”
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