Why It’s So Hard to Stop Building Homes in Places at Risk from Climate Disasters
NPR: Nov 6, 2023
Chief Resilience Officer Nick Angarone and Blue Acres Program Manager Courtney Wald-Wittkop are quoted in this article that spotlights how 3 different US cities, including Woodbridge, NJ, are adapting to climate change.
With climate-fueled disasters killing hundreds of Americans annually and costing communities billions of dollars, a growing number of local governments are asking a basic question: Are there some places where people shouldn’t build homes?
It’s one of the most difficult choices a community can make. Local governments typically want more housing, not less, because budgets are generally funded by the property taxes from those homes. At the same time, a nationwide housing shortage is creating even more pressure to build.