Should Taxpayers Fund the Rebuilding of Coastal Communities?

In the "Room for Debate" section of The New York Times, five experts debate whether the federal government should continue to subsidize the cost of coastal reconstruction in the aftermath of storms.

2 minute read

November 28, 2012, 7:00 AM PST

By Jonathan Nettler @nettsj


"Should the federal government stop helping to rebuild properties in areas vulnerable to natural disasters? Would it make sense for the federal and local governments to buy such land, to prevent future loss of homes and lives?" These are among the questions considered by debaters from Taxpayers for Common Sense, the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety, the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University.

From Steve Ellis, the vice president of Taxpayers for Common Sense:

"Politicians miss the point when they grab a megaphone and cry out that we will rebuild. We need to rebuild smarter and better. Not just homes and businesses, but policies, programs and projects, ensuring we aren’t encouraging development in harm’s way....No one is suggesting we move the entire New Jersey seacoast. But we can buy out and encourage mitigation of the most vulnerable properties. Every dollar in mitigation saves four in recovery."

From Ralph B. Everett, president and chief executive of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies:

"But let us also remember that four-fifths of Americans live in counties where natural disasters have been declared in just the past six years. Last year, Hurricane Irene ravaged communities hundreds of miles from the coastline. Should we not rebuild in these communities, as well? Over the past two years, record numbers of tornados have hit in the South. Should we no longer rebuild after a twister hits?...We have to stay focused, above all else, on fundamentally transforming the way we use energy, with policies that spur the markets to promote large-scale energy efficiency and low-carbon, renewable sources of energy."

Monday, November 26, 2012 in The New York Times

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Aerial view of town of Wailuku in Maui, Hawaii with mountains in background against cloudy sunset sky.

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly

Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

July 1, 2025 - Honolulu Civil Beat

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 9, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Haussmann's redesign of Paris in the 1850s through 1870s under Napoleon III.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking

Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

June 30, 2025 - Tom Sanchez

Green bike share bikes parked in a row on a commercial street with outdoor dining and greenery.

Making Shared Micromobility More Inclusive

Cities and shared mobility system operators can do more to include people with disabilities in planning and operations, per a new report.

5 seconds ago - Cities Today

View from inside car's driver seat while driving.

Car Designs Make it Harder to See Pedestrians

Blind spots created by thicker pillars built to withstand rollover crashes are creating dangerous conditions for people outside vehicles.

1 hour ago - Bloomberg CityLab

Red and white "Wildfire Evacuation Route" sign on signpost.

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions

An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

July 10 - The Markup

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.

Home and Land Services Coordinator

Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners

Associate/Senior Planner

Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development

Senior Planner

Heyer Gruel & Associates PA