Housing × Inland Flooding
Inland
flooding is the result of moderate precipitation over several days, intense
precipitation over a short period, or melting snowpack (U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, 2017). This accumulation of precipitation can
also lead to dam or levee failure, or cause river overflows. In short, more
precipitation and/or freshwater enters a community than the community’s
stormwater systems and natural systems (such as wetlands and rivers) can
handle. Inland flooding is more common in areas adjacent to rivers or other
bodies of water, in low-lying areas, and in developed areas where water is less
able to drain effectively.
Safe and affordable housing is
essential for health, wellbeing, and financial stability. As the climate
changes, more frequent and heavier storms will increase the risk of inland
flooding. Inland flooding can severely damage homes, create unsafe living
conditions, and can displace residents from their homes either temporarily or
permanently. Flooding is also associated with health issues such as injuries,
exposure to chemical hazards, exposure to mold, exposure to disease from
insects and water-borne pathogens, and mental health consequences.
Depending on someone’s financial
resources, or whether they rent or own a home, some residents may be less able
to implement resilience retrofits, repair flooding damage, or even move to a
less flood-prone area. Flood insurance costs may rise, alongside a reduction in
the availability for affordably priced housing, compounding financial stress (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 145-148). In addition, flooding may result in reduced
ability to work and lost wages for those whose jobs are impacted by flooding
(for example, someone may work in a flood-prone commercial district).
Flooding threatens the availability
of affordability priced housing. Increasing
demand for affordably priced housing can result if people are forced to
relocate either due to direct damage to existing housing or because of
climate-related economic pressures (e.g., “climate gentrification” that happens
when low-income populations are displaced as wealthier residents seek higher
ground). The supply of affordably priced housing is reduced due to direct
physical damage from climate impacts and potentially higher construction costs
for all housing to improve resiliency to threats from climate. Both demand and
supply effects raise rental and ownership prices, which can effectively limit
options for affordably priced housing. Unsurprisingly, it is expected that the
most immediate impacts of more intense flooding on affordably-priced housing
will be first experienced in many environmental justice neighborhoods (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 145-150).
Inland
flooding is the result of moderate precipitation over several days, intense
precipitation over a short period, or melting snowpack (U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, 2017). This accumulation of precipitation can
also lead to dam or levee failure, or cause river overflows. In short, more
precipitation and/or freshwater enters a community than the community’s
stormwater systems and natural systems (such as wetlands and rivers) can
handle. Inland flooding is more common in areas adjacent to rivers or other
bodies of water, in low-lying areas, and in developed areas where water is less
able to drain effectively.
Safe and affordable housing is
essential for health, wellbeing, and financial stability. As the climate
changes, more frequent and heavier storms will increase the risk of inland
flooding. Inland flooding can severely damage homes, create unsafe living
conditions, and can displace residents from their homes either temporarily or
permanently. Flooding is also associated with health issues such as injuries,
exposure to chemical hazards, exposure to mold, exposure to disease from
insects and water-borne pathogens, and mental health consequences.
Depending on someone’s financial
resources, or whether they rent or own a home, some residents may be less able
to implement resilience retrofits, repair flooding damage, or even move to a
less flood-prone area. Flood insurance costs may rise, alongside a reduction in
the availability for affordably priced housing, compounding financial stress (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 145-148). In addition, flooding may result in reduced
ability to work and lost wages for those whose jobs are impacted by flooding
(for example, someone may work in a flood-prone commercial district).
Flooding threatens the availability
of affordability priced housing. Increasing
demand for affordably priced housing can result if people are forced to
relocate either due to direct damage to existing housing or because of
climate-related economic pressures (e.g., “climate gentrification” that happens
when low-income populations are displaced as wealthier residents seek higher
ground). The supply of affordably priced housing is reduced due to direct
physical damage from climate impacts and potentially higher construction costs
for all housing to improve resiliency to threats from climate. Both demand and
supply effects raise rental and ownership prices, which can effectively limit
options for affordably priced housing. Unsurprisingly, it is expected that the
most immediate impacts of more intense flooding on affordably-priced housing
will be first experienced in many environmental justice neighborhoods (MCCA, 2022, Volume II, p. 145-150).
Questions to Answer
The questions and guided explorations below are designed to assist you with thinking about how inland flooding may impact housing in your community. Use the Housing x Inland Flooding worksheet to assist you when answering these questions.
The questions and guided explorations below are designed to assist you with thinking about how inland flooding may impact housing in your community. Use the Housing x Inland Flooding worksheet to assist you when answering these questions.
Flooding
can significantly damage homes, including structural damage (such as cracks in
the foundation or warped floorboards), gas and sewage leaks, broken water
supply lines, as well as damage to electrical systems, heating and cooling
systems, and appliances. Flood water can contain sewage, oil, and gas, as well
as other hazardous or chemical wastes (such as from household cleaning
products). These kinds of situations increase residents’ vulnerability to
serious illness from exposure to these contaminants as well as infectious
diseases that may be spread in the water. Additionally, the increased moisture
brought about by increased precipitation and flooding contributes to mold
growth.
Some homes are more vulnerable to damage (depending on factors like the age of their home and the construction materials).
Guided Exploration:
This guided exploration will use the GEAR Housing Map to consider where inland flooding may impact
residential areas in your community today, and in the future.
Open the map link and select a municipality to begin identifying where the residential neighborhoods are in your community, and which neighborhoods are already at risk of inland flooding. The Historic Flood Hazard Datasets subgroup under the Climate Hazard Data group may help identify where flooding has historically occurred in your community. Toggle on/off housing layers: the Type of Home group, the Age of Housing Stock layer, and the Rental Housing Units layer under the EJ and Other Priority Populations group to explore the different kinds of housing stock. When each layer is on, consider:
- Which neighborhoods appear to experience the most flooding?
- Which homes experience the highest flood hazard risk – including:
- Where do renters primarily live?
- Are there particularly old or historic homes concentrated in one neighborhood?
- What resources can be found in these neighborhoods and areas? As a start, turn on the Community Health Resources group, and supplement this information using local knowledge:
- Are there any emergency shelters in these neighborhoods?
- What about shelters for those experiencing homelessness?
- What about Long-Term Care residences?
Consider other sources of information, too:
- Where have you or other community members seen flooding in the past?
- Does your community have additional data on local flood risk, such as local flood models or data on past flood events?
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Damage to Inland Buildings page 56 (top impact Statewide, Berkshires & Hilltowns, Greater Connecticut River Valley, Eastern Inland)
Flooding
can significantly damage homes, including structural damage (such as cracks in
the foundation or warped floorboards), gas and sewage leaks, broken water
supply lines, as well as damage to electrical systems, heating and cooling
systems, and appliances. Flood water can contain sewage, oil, and gas, as well
as other hazardous or chemical wastes (such as from household cleaning
products). These kinds of situations increase residents’ vulnerability to
serious illness from exposure to these contaminants as well as infectious
diseases that may be spread in the water. Additionally, the increased moisture
brought about by increased precipitation and flooding contributes to mold
growth.
Some homes are more vulnerable to damage (depending on factors like the age of their home and the construction materials).
Guided Exploration:
This guided exploration will use the GEAR Housing Map to consider where inland flooding may impact
residential areas in your community today, and in the future.
Open the map link and select a municipality to begin identifying where the residential neighborhoods are in your community, and which neighborhoods are already at risk of inland flooding. The Historic Flood Hazard Datasets subgroup under the Climate Hazard Data group may help identify where flooding has historically occurred in your community. Toggle on/off housing layers: the Type of Home group, the Age of Housing Stock layer, and the Rental Housing Units layer under the EJ and Other Priority Populations group to explore the different kinds of housing stock. When each layer is on, consider:
- Which neighborhoods appear to experience the most flooding?
- Which homes experience the highest flood hazard risk – including:
- Where do renters primarily live?
- Are there particularly old or historic homes concentrated in one neighborhood?
- What resources can be found in these neighborhoods and areas? As a start, turn on the Community Health Resources group, and supplement this information using local knowledge:
- Are there any emergency shelters in these neighborhoods?
- What about shelters for those experiencing homelessness?
- What about Long-Term Care residences?
Consider other sources of information, too:
- Where have you or other community members seen flooding in the past?
- Does your community have additional data on local flood risk, such as local flood models or data on past flood events?
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Damage to Inland Buildings page 56 (top impact Statewide, Berkshires & Hilltowns, Greater Connecticut River Valley, Eastern Inland)
Climate change is expected to worsen
the inequities in access to affordably priced and healthy homes as it can simultaneously
increase demand due to forced relocation because of direct damage or economic
pressures and reduce housing supply through property damage and possibly higher
construction costs to improve resiliency. This will present a significant
burden for all residents of the state, but especially those who are already
facing financial insecurity.
Those facing financial insecurity or
other forms of social vulnerability may also have other impacts related to
housing and flooding. For example, these community members may be less likely
to travel by car and/or own a personal vehicle, which makes it more difficult
to evacuate their home if needed. Flooding can also cause mold which may
exacerbate asthma, and the
burden of asthma in the United States falls disproportionately on people with
low-income, senior adults, and Black, Hispanic/Latino and American
Indian/Alaska Native people (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2020).
Guided Exploration:
This guided exploration will consider which neighborhoods or communities in your town or city might experience disproportionate damage to housing or housing insecurity due to inland flooding.
Open the GEAR Housing Map and select a municipality to explore where flooding has historically occurred in your community. Turn on Historic Flood Hazard Data subgroup under the Climate Hazard Data group and toggle on/off the layers in the EJ and Other Priority Populations group and see where there is overlap between areas exposed to significant inland flooding and these populations. Consider which populations will face disproportionate impacts with the changes brought about by increased inland flooding.
- Which residential areas of your community are known to flood during high precipitation events? Where does this overlap with areas where environmental justice or other priority populations live?
- Do community residents, landlords, and property management companies have a plan for how they would respond to flooding?
- What supports might residents (particularly environmental justice and other priority populations) need to prepare for a flooding event that might damage their home?
- What supports might residents (particularly environmental justice and other priority populations) need to recover after a flooding event that damages their home?
- What steps are being taken to address housing affordability in the community? How might housing affordability be impacted by climate hazards like inland flooding and what additional steps could be taken with this in mind?
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Reduction in the Availability of Affordably Priced Housing page 145 (top impact Statewide; Berkshires & Hilltowns; Greater Connecticut River Valley; Eastern Inland; Boston Harbor; North & South Shores; Cape, Islands, and South Coast)
Climate change is expected to worsen
the inequities in access to affordably priced and healthy homes as it can simultaneously
increase demand due to forced relocation because of direct damage or economic
pressures and reduce housing supply through property damage and possibly higher
construction costs to improve resiliency. This will present a significant
burden for all residents of the state, but especially those who are already
facing financial insecurity.
Those facing financial insecurity or
other forms of social vulnerability may also have other impacts related to
housing and flooding. For example, these community members may be less likely
to travel by car and/or own a personal vehicle, which makes it more difficult
to evacuate their home if needed. Flooding can also cause mold which may
exacerbate asthma, and the
burden of asthma in the United States falls disproportionately on people with
low-income, senior adults, and Black, Hispanic/Latino and American
Indian/Alaska Native people (Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 2020).
Guided Exploration:
This guided exploration will consider which neighborhoods or communities in your town or city might experience disproportionate damage to housing or housing insecurity due to inland flooding.
Open the GEAR Housing Map and select a municipality to explore where flooding has historically occurred in your community. Turn on Historic Flood Hazard Data subgroup under the Climate Hazard Data group and toggle on/off the layers in the EJ and Other Priority Populations group and see where there is overlap between areas exposed to significant inland flooding and these populations. Consider which populations will face disproportionate impacts with the changes brought about by increased inland flooding.
- Which residential areas of your community are known to flood during high precipitation events? Where does this overlap with areas where environmental justice or other priority populations live?
- Do community residents, landlords, and property management companies have a plan for how they would respond to flooding?
- What supports might residents (particularly environmental justice and other priority populations) need to prepare for a flooding event that might damage their home?
- What supports might residents (particularly environmental justice and other priority populations) need to recover after a flooding event that damages their home?
- What steps are being taken to address housing affordability in the community? How might housing affordability be impacted by climate hazards like inland flooding and what additional steps could be taken with this in mind?
Read More About Related Impacts in the Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment:
- Reduction in the Availability of Affordably Priced Housing page 145 (top impact Statewide; Berkshires & Hilltowns; Greater Connecticut River Valley; Eastern Inland; Boston Harbor; North & South Shores; Cape, Islands, and South Coast)
Investigate GEAR Map Data Layers
Explore the Housing map to learn more about how inland flooding may impact housing in your community. The list at the right provides an overview of select data layers included in the map, as well as detailed descriptions of each layer.
Explore the Housing map to learn more about how inland flooding may impact housing in your community. The list at the right provides an overview of select data layers included in the map, as well as detailed descriptions of each layer.
The National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) dataset represents the current effective flood risk data for those parts of the country where maps have been modernized by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The FEMA Q3 layer identifies areas that have historically been at risk of flooding - this data is from flood insurance rate paper maps (FRMs) where no NFHL data exists. The data should be used to identify areas of uncertainty and areas with possible flood risk.
This subset of the MassGIS 2016 Land Cover/Land Use data shows areas with general residential land use codes and includes a breakdown of single-family and multi-family housing. Multi-unit housing may be more vulnerable to climate impacts because they may be more likely to contain rental units versus owner-occupied units, which limit inhabitants' ability to make updates and retrofits that build resilience. Multi-unit housing units may be more affordably-priced housing for those with limited incomes, such that residents may face financial insecurity and other challenges.
This layer contains the locations of licensed
nursing homes, rest homes and assisted living residences in Massachusetts.
Those living and working in these facilities may be more vulnerable to climate
impacts like power outages and heat waves, which can further existing health
and mobility challenges that residents may have and staff persons need to
navigate.
This layer contains the most current release of data from the American Community Survey (ACS) about housing units by year built by tenure (owner or renter). Older homes may be more vulnerable to climate impacts because of formerly lower wind standards, aging materials, lack of weatherproofing, among other factors. ACS 2017 - 2021.
Housing cost burden is an important social determinant of health and financial strain. This layer is symbolized to show the percent of renter households that spend 30% or more of their household income on gross rent (contract rent plus tenant-paid utilities). If too much of a household's income goes towards housing it often limits the amount of money that can be spent on medication, healthcare, food, and other necessities. ACS 2017 - 2021.
Environmental justice (EJ) populations, i.e., block groups are defined in Chapter 8 of the Acts of 2021 and the 2021 EEA EJ Policy. EJ populations are those segments of the population that EEA has determined to be most at risk of being unaware of or unable to participate in environmental decision-making or to gain access to state environmental resources or are especially vulnerable. 2020 block groups, updated in Nov 2022.
Actions to Consider
Communities can take a number of steps to build resilient housing. Some actions may include:
Communities can take a number of steps to build resilient housing. Some actions may include:
Engage community liaisons to design a multi-pronged education campaign to help people understand their current and future risk from inland flooding. The MA Department of Public Health provides information on the health risks of inland flooding. Provide education and connections to technical and financial assistance for making individual homes more resilient, such as with rain gardens, rain barrels, reduction of impervious surfaces, and elevating equipment from lower levels. Implement municipal incentives for making flood resilience improvements similar to programs incentivizing energy efficiency. Explore Cambridge's Renter Resilient Toolkit to learn more about promoting household flood resilience.
Establish a zoning ordinance with resilient design standards and guidelines to encourage more flood resilient residential development. Review example design guidelines and programs such as Building a Better Norfolk (VA) Zoning Ordinance, Building Flood Resiliency in Boston, and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council's (MAPC) Climate Resilient Land Use Strategies Toolkit. Engage resiliency and/or engineering expertise to develop design standards and guidelines considering local climate projections and thresholds. Identify opportunities to provide incentives for residential projects in areas with low flood risk that include affordable housing.
Identify areas at high risk of flooding, especially areas with higher concentrations of people who rent, low-income residents, or environmental justice neighborhoods. Engage community members and design professionals in a community-led process to identify opportunities for neighborhood-scale flood resilience planning. Encourage a focus on nature-based solutions and achieving co-benefits identifies as important to the community, such as adding recreational amenities, supporting biodiversity, or mitigating urban heat. Depending on the type of action identified by the community, advance through design and permitting. If the project implementation lends itself to volunteer participation, organize a community event for resident to participate in a clean up, planting, or similar activity at the project site. Explore the following resources to learn more about neighborhood-scale flood resiliency planning:
- NYC Planning: Resilient Neighborhoods - New York City has launched an initiative to identify and map neighborhood-specific resilience strategies.
- Urban Land Institute: Enhancing Resilience through Neighborhood-Scale Strategies
- Journal of Flood Risk Management: Exploring Neighborhood-level Resilience to Flooding - Why the Context and Scale Matter
Explore MVP Projects
Explore the MVP-funded projects below:
Explore the MVP-funded projects below:
FY21 Action Grant
$175,957 Award
The City of Easthampton developed a City-Wide Green Infrastructure Master Plan to address stormwater-driven flooding hazards, with a special focus on the Cherry Street neighborhood, which is an ongoing flooding and erosion concern for DPW staff. The city-wide planning process included a green infrastructure assessment, which resulted in 20 concept-level designs that will be identified for future design, permitting, and implementation. It identified a set of standard details for common green infrastructure practices that are low maintenance and could be implemented by DPW in a variety of locations.
Project website: Green Infrastructure Master Plan
Case study: Easthampton FY21 Green Infrastructure Planning and Resiliency Design for Cherry Street
FY21 Action Grant
$175,957 Award
The City of Easthampton developed a City-Wide Green Infrastructure Master Plan to address stormwater-driven flooding hazards, with a special focus on the Cherry Street neighborhood, which is an ongoing flooding and erosion concern for DPW staff. The city-wide planning process included a green infrastructure assessment, which resulted in 20 concept-level designs that will be identified for future design, permitting, and implementation. It identified a set of standard details for common green infrastructure practices that are low maintenance and could be implemented by DPW in a variety of locations.
Project website: Green Infrastructure Master Plan
Case study: Easthampton FY21 Green Infrastructure Planning and Resiliency Design for Cherry Street
FY21 Planning Grant
$18,000 Award
As part of its Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP)
planning initiative, the Town of Stockbridge undertook a Resilient Housing
Initiative to obtain data and develop planning tools and strategy to increase
the resilience of climate vulnerable individuals, especially seniors, to the
impacts of climate change.
Project website: Resilient Housing Initiative
Summary of findings: Town of Stockbridge | Community Resilience Building
Recommendations report: Stockbridge Resilient Housing Initiative
FY21 Planning Grant
$18,000 Award
As part of its Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP)
planning initiative, the Town of Stockbridge undertook a Resilient Housing
Initiative to obtain data and develop planning tools and strategy to increase
the resilience of climate vulnerable individuals, especially seniors, to the
impacts of climate change.
Project website: Resilient Housing Initiative
Summary of findings: Town of Stockbridge | Community Resilience Building
Recommendations report: Stockbridge Resilient Housing Initiative
Related Guides
Explore how the impacts of flooding, including health impacts, will affect local economies.
Explore how the impacts of flooding, including health impacts, will affect local economies.