New York City considers buy outs of flood-prone homes in Queens

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The city is considering buying homes from residents of a small flood-prone section of Flushing, potentially presenting homeowners with the tough choice of selling and relocating or putting their faith in a series of projects aimed at reducing the chronic risk from storms.

The voluntary buyout strategy, supported by local elected officials and debated by residents of the neighborhood, is one of several proposals from the Adams administration for protecting residents in and around Kissena Park. The acquisition program being developed would mark the first time the city offered to purchase inland properties, away from the coast, that are vulnerable to flooding from intense storms like Hurricane Ida.

The city could start offering to buy properties in the neighborhood and other at-risk sites, like the Hole in Brooklyn, as soon as 2026, according to a Department of Environmental Protection presentation to residents earlier this month.

“We don't want the city to be in this position of buying out properties that we could protect,” DEP Commissioner Rohit Aggarwala told Gothamist. “But we really are thinking about getting the city into that field for the very first time.”

Read the full story on Gothamist.com