Government programs such as managed retreat are controversial. A new study published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction sheds light on the implications of buyout programs and other flood mitigation policies for rural communities and at-risk populations. The Climate Program Office’s Adaptation Sciences (AdSci) Research Program provided funding for the study in FY-21. The study looks at how buyout programs are working in two rural communities in the Carolinas (Bennettsville, SC and Tarboro, NC). Rural communities such as these are frequently flooded. Many long-time residents are greatly impacted for long periods of time. To help these communities, voluntary buyout programs are government efforts to purchase severely-damaged buildings and keep people away from harm’s way. The researchers explored the perspectives of public officials and community leaders before and after the implementations of these programs. The results suggest that for the long-term feasibility and success of these government programs, more help should be offered to the local governments implementing these programs, creating open lines of communication with the buyout communities, building trust and investing in local champions.
For more information, contact Bhaskar Subramanian.
