Whenever hurricanes strike, wildfires rage, floods drown, or extreme heat swelters, they leave behind damage and destruction. Extreme weather events like these sometimes result in displacement, with people unable or unwilling to remain in their homes as climate disasters wreak havoc more frequently. But where can these climate-displaced people go? The nation is already experiencing a housing crisis, and displacement from natural disasters caused by climate change further strains resources. Disadvantaged communities with the least resources—including those displaced by climate hazards—are hit hardest. To better accommodate these groups, communities must adjust their zoning and land use policies.
Climate displacement and housing
Long-term displacement due to climate risks like hurricanes, wildfires, or floods has already impacted many across the U.S. In 2023 alone, 2.5 million people were displaced from their homes due to environmental hazards. States like Arkansas, Louisiana, and Florida saw particularly high rates of displacement per capita; in Florida alone, nearly 900,000 residents were forced to move. Many residents of hazard prone areas, often contending with expensive hazard mitigation measures, high insurance premiums, or, sometimes, the devastating wreckage left behind by extreme weather events, find themselves forced to relocate.
When climate disasters strike, displaced families often find themselves unable to return home—not just because of damage, but because of skyrocketing housing costs. After Hurricane Harvey in 2017, many in Texas remained displaced a year later due to unaffordable housing. The same pattern repeated in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence and in northern California after the Camp Fire in 2018.
Those who relocate long-term face severe housing challenges. In the wake of Hurricane Maria, thousands of Puerto Ricans moved to the mainland U.S., only to encounter housing shortages that left many cycling through hotels, shelters, and even experiencing homelessness. With much of the country facing a housing shortage, the arrival of new residents can strain local markets, making housing more expensive for everyone.
This crisis is exacerbated by “climate gentrification,” where wealthier migrants drive up prices in safer areas. In Flagstaff, Arizona, housing costs have soared as residents flee the extreme heat of Phoenix and Tucson. Miami’s Little Haiti, valued for its elevation above sea level, has seen rising property values displace long-time residents.
As climate change continues to impact weather patterns, tens of millions more Americans could find themselves looking for their next home. What can communities do to prepare?
Zoning as a tool for climate resilience
To protect and accommodate climate-displaced people, communities must address the astronomical cost of housing, which is in part a result of a nationwide housing shortage. The U.S. is short an estimated 3.85 million housing units, and communities must do their part to address this shortage. Through reforms to land use and zoning policies, land use practitioners can facilitate compact, inclusive, and resilient housing development that serves the needs of their communities and accommodates population growth, including from those displaced by climate hazards. Many communities have undertaken this work, instituting policies that alleviate the housing shortage and boost community resilience at the same time.
For example, Cambridge, Massachusetts reformed its zoning code in February 2023 to help mitigate the impacts of increased flooding and extreme heat. This reform requires all new developments, as well as developments that significantly increase an existing building’s footprint, to adhere to Flood Resilience and Green Factor Standards. Developments must elevate habitable spaces above the expected height of floodwaters due to sea level rise and storm surge or precipitation and must incorporate trees, green roofs, or other heat-mitigating infrastructure. These initiatives help to protect Cambridge residents from the impacts of climate hazards; in doing so, they also better position Cambridge to become a refuge for climate-displaced people.
Two years after addressing climate concerns in its zoning code, Cambridge ended exclusionary zoning, allowing multifamily housing up to four stories by-right citywide (or six stories with affordable housing). This reform expands housing options, supports growth near transit, and fosters greener, less car-dependent living. By removing restrictive zoning barriers, Cambridge is tackling its housing shortage while preparing to welcome new residents, like those displaced by climate hazards. As Mayor Denise Simmons said, the change was necessary to tear down the “barriers that have kept people out, that have restricted growth, [and] that have made it harder for families to put down roots.”
For communities across the U.S. pursuing resilient and inclusive development strategies, efforts like Cambridge’s must be a part of the conversation. With climate hazards becoming more frequent and more severe, more and more Americans are experiencing the impacts of climate change firsthand, and are increasingly at risk of displacement from their communities. Local stakeholders, including elected officials, land use practitioners, and community-based organizations need to advance land use policies that protect residents and newcomers by ensuring that development adheres to climate resilience standards, so that communities are better prepared for and protected from climate hazards. But to become a true resilient haven for all, communities must welcome newcomers with access to housing they can afford—and that means enacting reforms to allow for more housing development.