After an exceptionally intense king tide flooded South Florida businesses and roads, a federal plan to reduce future flood damage in Miami-Dade County is drawing questions over whether enough homeowners will take part. The proposal includes raising thousands of homes, but similar programs elsewhere have enrolled far fewer households than initially expected.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers first proposed elevating 2,057 residences in the county. In August, it added 2,800 single-family homes and 430 small multifamily buildings to the plan. Work could begin in 2032 and take 15 years, subject to final approval and congressional funding. The homes would be raised no more than 12 feet, a limit the Corps says is necessary for safety.

Home raising is one part of a broader, roughly $7 billion flood protection effort. Other measures include floodproofing essential facilities such as fire and police stations, and planting mangroves as a natural buffer. The federal government is expected to cover two-thirds of the cost.

Participation will be important to the project’s benefits. The Corps has warned in a report on a similar New Jersey program that lower homeowner participation could reduce the project’s overall benefits and justification. Cornell professor Vivek Srikrishnan said barriers include delays, the need to bring houses up to building codes and questions about whether residents can rely on the government to carry out the work.

Preparing a home for elevation can require repairs before construction, as well as temporary relocation. Crews disconnect plumbing and electrical systems, separate the home from its foundation, lift it with hydraulic jacks and install pilings beneath it. Miami assistant city manager Asael “Ace” Marrero said deferred maintenance, including roof, termite and structural repairs, could prevent some lower-income households from qualifying.

Past programs illustrate the challenges. In New York City, a recovery effort launched after Hurricane Sandy received 22,400 applicants but served about 8,100. Only 847 homes were ultimately elevated. Processing took nearly two years on average, and residents who had to relocate were displaced for an average of two years. In Louisiana, the Corps initially identified 3,456 homes for elevation, but about 1,000 were included in the first phase. A study of participation there found that homeowners had concerns about potential damage, how properties were selected and their control over contractors.

The Miami-Dade effort is being planned ahead of future flooding rather than in direct response to a recent hurricane. The county’s 2.8 million residents live between Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Everglades, in an area exposed to tidal flooding and heavy rain. Sea level rise can make king tide flooding last longer, reach farther inland and worsen hurricane storm surges, county resilience program manager Christian Kamrath said at a public meeting in September.

Public awareness appears limited so far. The Corps received 10 written comments during a public comment period that ended in mid-September; three were from residents, with the remainder from businesses and government agencies. One resident, Don Deresz, objected to using taxpayer funds to raise homes, arguing that owners of properties in targeted neighborhoods should pay for improvements or move.

In Homestead, 1,320 single-family homes are listed as possible candidates for elevation, but the city has not yet determined how many residents might participate. Public outreach would follow if the Corps approves the work and Congress provides funding, according to the city’s public works director, Cairo Cangas.

The project also faces federal approval uncertainties. The Corps said its initial focus will be floodproofing facilities including pump stations, wastewater treatment plants, and police and fire stations. Home elevations remain part of the plan, but the final version is not expected until next summer, said Mark Haviland, chief of public affairs for the Corps’ Norfolk district. Srikrishnan said other approaches, such as purchasing flood-prone properties or using nature-based solutions, could be more cost-effective than raising thousands of homes.

Sources: Inside Climate News.