"The nation’s strongest flood-disclosure law for rental properties has taken effect in Texas and is forcing landlords to tell prospective tenants whether an apartment has been flooded and whether it’s in a flood zone.
The Texas law, which took effect Jan. 1, is the first to require landlords to disclose both the flood history of a rental unit and whether it’s in an area that has a significant risk of flooding.
Only five other states require flood disclosure for rental units. In those states, landlords must notify renters of either flood history or if the apartment is in a flood-prone area.
Housing advocates hailed the Texas law but one researcher says it could drive down property values in flood-prone neighborhoods and exacerbate segregation by concentrating low-income and minority renters in high-risk areas."
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