Findings

Congress finds the following: (1) Human accelerated climate change is causing significant shifts in global surface and atmospheric temperatures, accelerating the frequency of extreme weather events around the globe. (2) Extreme weather events create environmental hazards such as excessive flooding, fire, heat, wind, and drought that have catastrophic impacts on frontline communities, who experience the worst and most immediate impacts of our climate crisis and often bear the brunt of such events seasonally, creating a cyclical pattern of disruption and destruction. (3) Individuals can take steps to prevent and mitigate the worst impacts of extreme weather events on their home and property by implementing resilience and adaptation best practices, but the cost of these solutions puts them out of reach for many households. (4) Low-income homeowners and individuals who reside in affordable housing disproportionately live in areas that face the greatest threat from extreme weather events, yet can least afford the changes to their property to make them more resilient to disasters and adapted to the changing climate.