Many Americans view buying a house as a path to safety, security, and stability. Years of savings go into building a sufficient down payment to get that perfect house in that safe neighbourhood with good schools and peaceful streets, complete with a backyard for weekend celebrations. At the signing of the mortgage papers, they feel safe and confident in their assumption that proper zoning laws have ensured that their home will not be situated in hazardous ground. They look into maps that assure them they are not within high-risk areas. But a gap in the nation’s flood mapping system could leave many homeowners exposed.
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