Wealthy counties get many FEMA buyouts of flood-prone homes

Janet Mcconnaughey, Associated Press
Updated 3:17 pm CDT, Wednesday, October 9, 2019

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — FEMA buys flood-prone homes more often in wealthy, populous counties than in poor, rural areas, even though lower-income rural areas may be more likely to flood frequently, a new study finds.

The reason is probably that better-off local governments have the resources to apply for and administer the programs — and that could keep many of the people who most need buyouts from getting them, according to the study Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.

As climate change increases flood risks, there will be greater need to move people and property out of danger, turning the land to open space, lead researcher Katharine Mach of the University of Miami said during a press teleconference Tuesday.

"When it comes to weather and climate events ... we are unambiguously behind the eight-ball," she said, noting that U.S. storm damages in 2017 alone totaled more than $300 billion. Those included Hurricanes Harvey and Maria and river floods.

More:
https://www.chron.com/news/science/article/Wealthy-counties-get-many-FEMA-buyouts-of-14504327.php