WASHINGTON POST • October 2, 2022
Many cities and counties in the Southeast are confronting the reality that rapid development has made them more vulnerable to hurricanes, storms and tidal flooding caused by sea level rise. As wetlands and forests have given way to homes and hotels, there is a lot more property – and millions more people – directly in harm’s way. From 2010 to 2020, Florida’s population grew at an astonishing pace over that decade, adding more than 2.7 million people. These population trends increase the likelihood that more Americans will be trapped in a costly cycle of flooding and repairs. There is a sharp contrast between city officials’ public acknowledgment of flood risk and their willingness to approve development in a vulnerable locations.