Black Towns Face Threats From Flooding and Buyouts

Laura Thompson reports on the future of black towns as they cope with flooding risks and home buyout programs. "Though there are exceptions, many historic Black towns can be found in low-lying, swampy areas, because that’s what was available to African Americans in the Jim Crow South."

Harris County wants to buy out homes in the Houston area, including houses in black towns in the suburbs. But opponents say the buyout plan will devastate the communities by erasing their legacies and the social networks that residents depend on.

Buyout programs also have a long and problematic history that reflects racial inequalities. In addition to the location of black towns in flood-prone areas of Harris County, levees built to protect towns in the past have not held up.

And buyout programs disproportionately affect communities of colors. "Even today, home values are affected by a neighborhood’s racial makeup. African-American communities, regardless of historic designations, are often targeted for buyouts simply because their property values are lower," says Thompson.