Who manages “managed retreat”? In this episode, we examine the individual, institutional and societal dimensions of decision-making, as well as the household and community-level outcomes of relocation. We hear from Monique Coleman, who organized her neighbors to collectively advocate for buyouts after a series of floods that culminated with Superstorm Sandy, and from Tom Flynn, the flood manager overseeing the restoration of Monique’s old neighborhood into a functional floodplain. We also hear from Mayor Andrew Nowick, who voices his constituents’ desire to rebuild in place and prioritize alternative flood mitigation strategies over relocation. Experts Liz Koslov and Jim Elliott provide research-based frameworks to hold these different perspectives.

Carried by Water is created and hosted by Mario Soriano. It's a production of Blue Lab at Princeton University.

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