Most Homeowners Support Safety Req
Sunday, June 8th, 2003 PropertyMost homeowners-75 percent-surveyed recently by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) believe that state and local requirements that new homes be built to withstand damage from natural disasters are an excellent or a good idea. More than six in ten (62 percent) say they would be very or somewhat willing to pay an additional 6 percent for a new home to meet the requirements. These findings are based on IRC's new report, Public Attitude Monitor 2003, Issue 1. The report shows that support for building codes transcends geographic regions but is especially strong in the South, which historically has been vulnerable to hurricane damage. Among Southern homeowners, four out of five say that building codes are an excellent or a good idea, and over two-thirds (68 percent) maintain their support even when the codes add 6 percent to a new home's cost (see figure).
