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Flooded Texans resist government buyout offers
In Harris County, flood-prone residents are resisting buyouts despite repeated flooding, citing affordability and attachment to their homes.
In short:
- Harris County Flood Control District wants to buy properties in flood-prone areas along the San Jacinto River.
- The district has identified 2,400 properties for potential buyouts but has only purchased about 800.
- Many residents, especially lower-income individuals, worry buyouts won’t provide enough to relocate safely.
Key quote:
"It's not as though it's a guarantee of reducing risks to that family.”
— Alessandra Jerolleman, Director of Research for the Center on Environment, Land and Law at Loyola University New Orleans College of Law.
Why this matters:
Flooding in Harris County is a recurrent issue, and while buyouts can reduce future risks, they may not offer sufficient support for displaced residents. Affordability is also a central issue. Many of these residents, often living in lower-income areas, find the prospect of relocating daunting due to rising housing costs elsewhere. The compensation offered through buyouts rarely covers the full expense of securing comparable homes in safer areas. This economic imbalance leaves them with a stark choice: stay and risk future floods or move and face financial instability.
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Credit: Joseph Reece/Unsplash
Quinault Indian Nation plans relocation to combat flooding
The Quinault Indian Nation in Washington State is relocating Taholah village to higher ground to mitigate flood risks exacerbated by climate change.
In short:
- Taholah is currently vulnerable to frequent flooding from storm surges and rising sea levels, prompting the relocation initiative.
- The new village will be situated about a half-mile uphill, incorporating sustainable and resilient building practices.
- Financial challenges remain, with projected housing costs between $350,000 and $400,000, potentially unaffordable for many tribal members.
Key quote:
"It's almost like a geyser shooting through the rocks."
— Ryan Hendricks, tribal council member, Quinault Indian Nation
Why this matters:
As the planet warms, many locations once thought ideal for settlement are becoming untenable. The Quinault Indian Nation’s decision to relocate is a reminder of the adaptability and resilience of Indigenous communities, yet it also raises important questions about the responsibility of governmental and international bodies in supporting vulnerable populations in the face of climate change.
The trickle of climate-related migration is already upon us: The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre estimates that 1.68 million Americans were internally displaced by disasters in 2017.
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How to move a country: Fiji’s radical plan to escape rising sea levels
In Fiji, the climate crisis means dozens of villages could soon be underwater. Relocating so many communities is an epic undertaking. But now there is a plan – and the rest of the world is watching.
Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
Dream homes and disasters: Is the government ready to confront climate risk?
Billions of new taxpayer dollars are aimed at helping victims of extreme weather leave their vulnerable homes. But without a lot of teeth, the federal programs may just perpetuate the problem.
To stay or to go: Increased flooding forces towns to make hard choices
Increased rainfall and repetitive flooding strain aging infrastructure in many towns across the Mississippi River Basin. But what options do residents have?
Rising seas could swallow 650,000 privately-owned properties by 2050
Rising seas could swallow millions of U.S. acres — and 650,000 privately-owned buildings — by 2050, according to an analysis published Thursday.
Floods, hurricanes, wildfires: What aid is your county getting to prepare?
For decades the federal government has known that climate change will force people in the U.S. to relocate. But FEMA's disaster preparedness spending — which includes money to help with relocation — already falls short of the need, experts say.
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