Archinect - News 2024-10-31T23:32:01-04:00 https://archinect.com/news/article/150452491/weakened-north-carolina-building-codes-jeopardized-property-after-hurricane-helene Weakened North Carolina building codes jeopardized property after Hurricane Helene Josh Niland 2024-10-31T18:27:00-04:00 >2024-10-31T18:28:05-04:00 <img src="https://archinect.gumlet.io/uploads/2d/2de158884b55a4c27fe254f7c7a0e524.jpg?fit=crop&auto=compress%2Cformat&enlarge=true&w=1200" border="0" /><p>The long road back for residents of the western North Carolina counties that were heavily impacted due to flooding from Hurricane Helene is still being mapped out, but now the<em> <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/03/climate/north-carolina-homes-helene-building-codes.html" target="_blank">New York Times</a></em> and other <a href="https://www.wral.com/story/did-weak-building-codes-contribute-to-devastation-from-helene/21665333/" target="_blank">local outlets</a> are reporting on critics who say reforms to the state&rsquo;s building codes could have exacerbated the scale of property losses.</p> <p>SB 166, which was passed into law last July, removed a requirement for professional architects to sit on the State Building Code Council. Both it and the related House Bill 488 were supported by the&nbsp;North Carolina Home Builders Association, echoing issues that came to the fore in Kentucky after a string of devastating tornadoes there&nbsp;<a href="https://archinect.com/news/article/150291991/the-building-industry-is-preventing-resiliency-efforts-in-areas-increasingly-affected-by-deadly-storms" target="_blank">three years ago</a>.&nbsp;<br></p> <p>Compounding the recovery process for homeowners is the fact that most did not own flood insurance policies. The data analytics company&nbsp;CoreLogic has estimated property damage in the area to be worth upwards of&nbsp;$47.5 billion.</p>