Judge Determines FEMA’s Termination of BRIC Program Unlawful

A federal judge ruled on Dec. 11 that the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program was unlawful and issued a permanent injunction restoring the program.

The BRIC program provides federal grants to states, tribes and local governments for projects that reduce risks from natural disasters.

This action is of note to the housing community because NAHB has been pushing Congress to pass the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act, which would allow jurisdictions to qualify for BRIC funds if they have adopted one of the latest two code cycles.

When BRIC was on hold under the Trump administration, there was a bit of a pause on this issue because states could not apply for funding. With the program reinstated and the two-code cycle definition having sunset, states may now start to feel renewed pressure to adopt the very latest codes to stay competitive for BRIC funding.

NAHB continues to work with federal lawmakers to pass the Promoting Resilient Buildings Act to help jurisdictions preserve local control over the building code adoption process by allowing them the flexibility to choose to adopt one of the latest two code cycles.