Climate Expert Builds Plugin to Restore Home Risk Data

Home buyers in California just got their climate data back, thanks to one determined expert who refused to let vital information disappear.

When Zillow removed climate risk scores from its listings last November, Neil Matouka saw an opportunity to help. The climate policy expert who previously managed California's Fifth Climate Change Assessment is now developing a free browser plugin that automatically displays climate data when users view California homes on Zillow.

The plugin shows four critical risks: wildfire danger, flood probability, sea level rise, and extreme heat exposure. It fills the gap left when Zillow removed its climate feature after California's Regional Multiple Listing Service questioned the accuracy of flood models.

Zillow had originally partnered with First Street, a climate risk modeling company, to display comprehensive risk data. But the listing service raised concerns about whether the flood predictions might mislead buyers, prompting Zillow to pull all climate information including fire, wind, heat, and air quality data.

Other real estate sites like Redfin, Realtor.com, and Homes.com still show First Street's data. First Street defends its approach, noting their models use peer-reviewed science and are continuously validated against real world outcomes.

The timing matters more than ever. As floods, fires, and extreme heat become more common, buyers need accurate information to make informed decisions about the biggest purchase of their lives.

Why This Inspires

Matouka's solution embodies a powerful principle: when important information gets taken away, citizens can build tools to restore it. His plugin doesn't wait for perfect data or corporate approval. It simply provides publicly available information in a consistent, accessible format.

Research shows that disclosing climate risks can lower home sale prices, which may explain some resistance to transparency. But Matouka believes buyers deserve to understand what they're getting into, even if the models aren't flawless.

His approach recognizes that climate risk predictions will never be perfect at the individual home level. A house might sit right on a flood boundary, or fire-resistant upgrades might reduce actual risk. But useful information beats no information.

The plugin represents something bigger than data access. It shows how individual experts can step up when systems fail, creating solutions that serve people rather than profit margins.

As climate impacts intensify across California and beyond, tools like this help families make decisions that could protect their financial future and physical safety for decades to come.