I agree we need to stop building or developing in known flood plains ? I believe in Skagit County, some years ago,  certain residences were moved out of the flood plain due to repeated flooding and demand for FEMA money to repair them. If I remember right, FEMA bought the home owners out at market value and would sell them back the home for a dollar if the previous owner would move the home out of the flood plain. I think is was in the area of Hamilton or Lyman. Cheaper for FEMA than to continue paying for flood damage repairs.

I've traveled to quite a few countries in Europe also Australia and New Zealand and visited many major cities in each. I have not seen anything close to the number of unhoused, street dwellers living in squaler on the streets as I see here in the U.S. There, I see social services, rarely the police, attending to those in need. The Police seem only to be involved when a crime occurs. I do not understand why the U.S. is so relunctent to model these programs that work. Our public mental health services are understaffed and over worked as are most of our social services agencies. And our public attitude seems to be just ignore it and it will go away or just lock them up somewhere so I don't have to see them.  Pathetic