“Redrawing Risk” is a one-day conference which explored the real-world implications of FEMA’s updated flood maps, which were released in February 2026. It was co-hosted by Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy and Kinder Institute for Urban Research. The event was free and open to the public, with both in-person and livestream registration options available.
Panels explored what must come next for the Greater Houston region after FEMA’s updated flood maps. They unpacked where the maps changed, how risk is measured, and what the new designations mean for homeowners, development patterns, infrastructure investment and the financial future of local governments.
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Agenda
| 8:30 am | Breakfast |
| 9:00 am | Welcome RemarksDavid M. Satterfield Michelle Smirnova, PhD |
| 9:15 am | Inside the Modeling: How FEMA Flood Maps Are BuiltThis session examines the scientific modeling and technical methodology behind FEMA’s flood maps, including how rainfall data, hydrology, topography, and development patterns are incorporated into risk projections. Experts will explain the assumptions, data inputs, and limitations that shape the final designations, including the tension between possible and probable flood risk scenarios. By exploring worst credible storm scenarios we gain greater clarity on what the maps measure, and what they do not. Moderated by: Bill King, Fellow in Public Finance, Rice University's Baker Institute True Furrh Dominic Boyer |
| 10:00 am | By the Block: Touring Houston's New Flood MapsThis session offers a guided, neighborhood-by-neighborhood review of FEMA’s updated flood maps across Greater Houston. Experts will walk through where boundaries have shifted, which communities have moved into or out of higher-risk zones, and how the new designations compare to prior maps. Using visual analysis and localized examples, the discussion will translate technical changes into clear geographic impacts - helping attendees understand exactly how and where flood risk has been redrawn across the region. Moderated by: Ed Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Rice University’s Baker Institute Russ Poppe Yilun Cheng |
| 11:30 am | Break and Lunch |
| 11:45 am | Rethinking Regional Flood Governance in Greater HoustonGiven the flood risks across Greater Houston, policymakers must confront pressing questions about the region’s fragmented approach to flood control and infrastructure planning. This session examines the governance and policy considerations surrounding a potential regional flood authority and its implications for long-term resilience and public investment. Moderated by: Bill King, Fellow in Public Finance, Rice University's Baker Institute Rep. Dennis Paul |
| 12:45 pm | Break |
| 1:00 pm | Designing for the New Risk MapFEMA’s new flood maps guide everything from emergency planning to insurance premiums, but they don’t fully tell us how people view their risk in the context of flood maps and how that shapes the choices they make to stay or move, including through home buyout programs. This session examines these important social dynamics as well how updated designations may influence land use, real estate markets, infrastructure investment, and development patterns in Greater Houston. Moderated by: Ed Emmett, Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Rice University’s Baker Institute Fletcher Dunson James R. Elliott Harry Masterson Andy Palermo, Ph.D. |
| 2:00 pm | The Impact of Housing AffordabilityAs flood designations shift, so do insurance requirements, mortgage obligations, and housing costs. This session explores how the updated maps and risks of experiencing natural disasters will likely affect homeowners and renters, from challenges around affordability and displacement, to how and whether families, and those organizations that support them (such as schools), are prepared and can respond to weather events that occur. Moderated by: Michelle Smirnova, Ph.D. , Director of the Center for Housing and Neighborhoods, Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research; Associate Professor of Sociology, Rice University Debolina Banerjee Erin Baumgartner, Ph.D. Dan Potter, Ph.D. Stephen Averill Sherman |
| 3:30 pm | The Price of Risk: Flood Maps and Public FinanceFlood maps can have ripple effects far beyond individual properties, influencing municipal bond markets, capital planning, and regulatory frameworks. This session explores how updated risk assessments may affect government borrowing, infrastructure mandates, building codes, and the financial stability of local jurisdictions. Moderated by: Bill King, Fellow in Public Finance, Rice University's Baker Institute John Diamond, Ph.D. |