Miami is in a race against time to build defenses against climate change and rising sea levels—resilience projects that require property tax revenue generated from luxury developments built in the areas most at risk.
Danielle Paquette reports on the Catch-22 of Miami development, especially in the area that "scientists call one of America’s most vulnerable floodplains."
"The more developers build here, the more taxes and fees the city collects to fund a $300-million storm water project to defend the shore against the rising sea," writes Paquette.
Critics of development approvals in the floodplain question the common sense of allowing more development in neighborhoods already over-burdening their infrastructure.
Paquette goes on to detail the details of the $300 million project, which the city is implementing by borrowing against a "new stormwater utility fee on homeowners, hotels and stores." Finally, Paquette also provides more detail and anecdotes from the real estate market in Miami, especially along the receding coast.
FULL STORY: Miami’s climate catch-22: Building waterfront condos to pay for protection against the rising sea
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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