| Irvine, Calif.-based CoreLogic has conducted an analysis for the flooding occurring as a result of Hurricane Harvey. This analysis shows that 52 percent of residential and commercial properties in the Houston metro are at “High” or “Moderate” risk of flooding, but are not in a Special Flood Hazard Area (SFHA) as identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Properties within SFHA zones, categorized as Extreme or Very High Risk, require flood insurance if the property has a federally insured mortgage. Properties outside SFHA zones are not required to carry flood insurance.
Table 1 shows the levels of flood risk* according to CoreLogic data for properties in seven metro areas likely to get severe rain and flooding as a result of Hurricane Harvey.
Table 2 shows only the total and percent of properties in the High and Moderate risk categories that are not in an SFHA and therefore not required to carry flood insurance.
Table 1: Total Properties at Risk by Flood Risk Level
| Inside Special Flood Hazard Area |
Outside Special Flood Hazard Area |
| Metro Area |
Total Properties |
Extreme Risk |
Very High Risk |
High Risk |
Moderate Risk |
Low Risk |
Very Low Risk |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos |
701,325 |
7,233 |
15,628 |
52,622 |
74,451 |
66,110 |
485,281 |
| Bay City |
23,459 |
722 |
5,727 |
7,374 |
5,904 |
1,104 |
2,628 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur |
194,610 |
1,990 |
19,774 |
39,096 |
67,090 |
19,531 |
47,129 |
| College Station-Bryan |
91,106 |
836 |
2,983 |
6,865 |
13,070 |
13,496 |
53,856 |
| Corpus Christi |
34,330 |
186 |
4,199 |
5,924 |
6,175 |
3,379 |
14,467 |
| Houston-Sugarland-Baytown |
2,340,343 |
57,077 |
211,851 |
494,983 |
715,202 |
287,098 |
574,132 |
| Victoria |
42,419 |
646 |
1,847 |
7,064 |
7,751 |
4,198 |
20,913 |
Source: CoreLogic August 2017
Table 2: Total Properties in the High/Moderate Risk Level
| Outside Special Flood Hazard Area |
| Metro Area |
Total Properties |
Total Properties in High/Moderate Risk |
Percentage of Properties in High/Moderate Risk |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos |
701,325 |
127,073 |
18% |
| Bay City |
23,459 |
13,278 |
57% |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur |
194,610 |
106,186 |
55% |
| College Station-Bryan |
91,106 |
19,935 |
22% |
| Corpus Christi |
34,330 |
12,099 |
35% |
| Houston-Sugarland-Baytown |
2,340,343 |
1,210,185 |
52% |
| Victoria |
42,419 |
14,815 |
35% |
*This current analysis does not include risk from storm surge or flash flooding.
Source: CoreLogic August 2017 |
