As the threat of flooding increases, buyout programs to relocate homeowners are a better alternative to rebuilding—for cities and residents.

John Schwartz reports on buyout programs that pay homeowners to move out of flood-prone areas. Cities can then level homes and turn the land into open space and green infrastructure to help mitigate future flooding impacts.
It is a more cost-effective strategy than rebuilding. "The costs of flooding continue to climb, but only 20 percent of the money that the Federal Emergency Management Agency distributes in disaster grants is earmarked for pre-disaster work, even though research shows that a dollar spent on mitigation before a disaster strikes results in at least six dollars in savings," writes Schwartz.
Over 20 years ago, Nashville started buying homes in hazardous areas, and the city's successful program is a model for planning ahead of flooding disasters. Many residents welcome the option to relocate, but cities executing buyout programs still face an uphill battle with long-term residents or when the financial benefits might not be substantial enough.
"Nicholas Pinter, the associate director of the center for watershed sciences at the University of California, Davis, said the challenges to 'overcoming social inertia' are so high because of 'the intense sense of place that people have,'" notes Schwartz.
FULL STORY: As Floods Keep Coming, Cities Pay Residents to Move

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.

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

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?

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.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
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.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie