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Will homeowners opt out of beachfront living - our expert was in the media giving his opinion on the idea

Jun 25, 2024

2 min

Robert S. Young

A new bill in Congress could give homeowners an option to get out now before their homes potentially fall into the ocean.


The Prevent Environmental Hazards Act, is legislation that would allow federal flood insurance funds to be used to remove teetering oceanfront structures on the brink of falling into the water.


It's a topic that's getting a lot of coverage, and media are seeking out experts like WCU's Robert S. Young, one of the country's go-to experts when it comes to shorelines and rising waters.


Under current rules, property owners can only receive payouts from the national flood insurance program after a home has collapsed. Flood insurance is almost universally only offered by the federal government because of the inability of private insurance companies to offer policies priced to cover the true costs of their potential liabilities.

Because local governments have limited legal means beyond condemnation to force private property owners to undertake the expensive task of demolishing or relocating a threatened structure, that can leave homeowners and oceanfront communities stuck in a holding pattern until a structure collapses or the sand comes back − either naturally or via a beach nourishment project.

“Local governments don’t have a lot of tools in their toolboxes to get people off the beach,” said Dr. Robert Young, director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines at Western Carolina University. “This is the first real tool they will have to get these structures off the public beach."

While proposals like this bill wouldn't be a magic wand to solve the overall problem of derelict buildings along the coast, Young said it's a start.

“For those of us interested in getting threatened homes off the beach and not creating debris streams miles long when they do collapse, we need some mechanisms like this to make that happen," he said. "This is certainly a positive step in that direction."  USA Today Network , June 25




This is an interesting topic and one that will be be getting a lot more attention as climate change impacts our environments and communities in America.


And if you're covering - let us help with your stories and questions.


Robert Young is a professor of geology at Western Carolina University and director of the Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines.


Robert is available to speak with media regarding this subject - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

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Robert S. Young

Robert S. Young

Professor

Robert S. Young is a licensed professional geologist in three states (FL, NC, SC).

Holocene landscape evolution in the southern AppalachiansWetlandsCoastal ManagementCoastal ProcessesHurricanes

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