Multifamily Housing Buyouts for Managed Retreat
06/22/26
“Why do policymakers need to consider multifamily housing buyouts for managed retreat?”
Governing authorities can use home buyouts to move people out of flood-prone areas. The vast majority of home buyout program development is tailored to single-family property owners. However, multifamily housing units are also present in floodplains and hurricane paths. In the U.S., multi-family tenants are more likely to come from marginalized backgrounds, making them subject to the desires of their landlord. Tenants must have some form of financial, legal, and policy support to navigate their way to a new home successfully. Government authorities need to develop policies for Multifamily Housing Buyouts for Managed Retreat to fill this protection gap. This can include mandatory cash distribution to tenants for relocation, construction of new affordable housing nearby for the displaced residents, and priority for new apartments in the private market.








