After a series of hurricanes, experts discuss how guide people out of the way of the most deadly floods and storms.
"As seas rise, flooding is becoming almost a weekly occurrence in cities up and down the East Coast. As storms grow stronger, so are the calls to walk away from the most flood-prone places," Miyuki Hino, Katharine J. Mach, and Christopher B. Field write in Vox.
The problem is not that there aren't good reasons to move. "We found that moving to safer ground can be an attractive option for many reasons: It protects livelihoods, restores coastal ecosystems, and reduces damages from extreme weather," they write. But existing incentives can push people to stay.
Property taxes support localities, motivating mayors to keep populations in place or grow them. In states like Florida and Texas, which lack a state income tax, this incentive gets even stronger.
Monetary concerns can contribute to states decisions to let developers build freely. Meanwhile, when these places flood, relief efforts call heavily on federal money. "Florida alone is home to 1,601 'severe repetitive loss properties' — properties that, on average, flood every two to three years and have been rebuilt five times with the help of taxpayer money. Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston, has close to 2,000 such properties."
FULL STORY: Abandon Florida? Not quite. But it’s time for a retreat from flood zones.
Tampa Bay Isn't Prepared for the Hurricanes of the Future
The area is especially vulnerable to storm surge, and increased development means more people are at risk when major hurricanes push through.
Looking Beyond FEMA Flood Maps, Cities Raise the Bar for Buildings in Floodplains
Cities across the country are developing floodplain construction standards that are more stringent than those required by FEMA.
Black Towns Face Threats From Flooding and Buyouts
Many of the historic towns would disappear if flood buyout programs force residents to relocate.
What ‘The Brutalist’ Teaches Us About Modern Cities
How architecture and urban landscapes reflect the trauma and dysfunction of the post-war experience.
USDOT Revokes Approval for NYC Congestion Pricing
Despite the administration’s stated concern for the “working class,” 85 percent of Manhattan commuters use public transit to enter the city.
Tiny House Villages for Addressing Homelessness: An Interview with Yetimoni Kpeebi
One researcher's perspective on the potential of tiny homes and owner-built housing as one tool to fight the housing crisis.
Preserving Altadena’s Trees: A Community Effort to Save a Fire-Damaged Landscape
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena Green is working to preserve fire-damaged but recoverable trees, advocating for better assessment processes, educating homeowners, and protecting the community’s urban canopy from unnecessary removal.
The VW Bus is Back — Now as an Electric Minivan
Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz reimagines its iconic Bus as a fully electric minivan, blending retro design with modern technology, a 231-mile range, and practical versatility to offer a stylish yet functional EV for the future.
Investigation Reveals Just How Badly California’s Homeless Shelters are Failing
Fraud, violence, death, and chaos follow a billion dollar investment in a temporary solution that is proving ineffective.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research