FHA Issues Temporary Waiver for New Single-Family Flood Elevation Requirements
The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) announced a temporary waiver for new construction in Special Flood Hazard Areas as part of the Federal Flood Risk Management Standard requirements issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development for single-family construction. The waiver took effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), The waiver means that the new elevation standard requiring that the lowest floor of new construction be at least two feet above the base flood elevation has been rescinded. This waiver applies to FHA-insured mortgages on new single-family construction.
In making its announcement, FHA said: “Without this partial waiver, the new MPS (minimum property standards) required elevation standard would have limited the land available for development and increased the cost of construction for FHA-insured single-family properties, thereby contributing to the insufficient supply of new construction housing and rising home prices.”
The partial waiver will be in effect for one year until Feb. 21, 2026.