Is Miami Doomed? TEDx Talk on South Florida Sea Level.
Description:
Keren Bolter is dedicated to increasing awareness of the need for adaption to sea level rise in South Florida. Her research to date includes mapping and analysis of the impacts of sea level rise, addressing both physical, socioeconomic, and health implications.
Keren Bolter is a doctoral student of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University researching what areas in South Florida are particularly threatened by rising seas. She says all methods of analysis for the risks of sea-level rise only focus on financial vulnerability — ranking Fort Lauderdale Beach and Miami Beach as high-risk — but to her, that’s not the whole story.
People who own properties in those financially vulnerable areas are generally higher on the income spectrum, meaning they could take precautions and pay for repairs if necessary. But Bolter adds socio-economic and health risks to her vulnerability equation.
“[Other at-risk areas], they are low-lying and they are low-income so these people don’t have the money even if they wanted to [prepare for sea-level rise],” says Bolter.
On a recent walk through Miami’s Little River neighborhood, around Northwest 78th Street and Seventh Avenue, Bolter pointed out that area is one of the most vulnerable.
“These are the areas where we need to be thinking about,” she says. “These people are the ones who need [attention] the most.”
Click to view larger: Blue: Blocks below 5 ft elevation with total values below 150 k an > 50% Black population AND >50% below poverty line. Red: Blocks below 5 ft elevation with total values below 150 k and over 50% black population
Plenty of local realtors will describe South Florida’s housing market as recharged. The latest reading from the popular Case-Shiller Index showed sales of single-family homes up 13.5 percent from a year ago in August.
There is continued demand for waterfront properties, fueled in large part by international cash buyers from countries like Canada and Brazil. In Miami-Dade County, for instance, the category of luxury properties selling at price points above $600,000 and below $1 million, saw growth in sales of almost 68 percent.
However, the question remains. If you add the threat of rising sea levels to the real estate investment equation in South Florida, are rooms with an ocean view actually a terrible place to put your money?
2 thoughts on “Is Miami Doomed? TEDx Talk on South Florida Sea Level.”
“There is continued demand for waterfront properties”
They should be careful what they wish for.
A friend of mine just bought a place on the 27th floor,
for 2 million. It’s right next to the beach. I told him to
get a boat, too. That’s how he will be accessing the place.
“There is continued demand for waterfront properties”
They should be careful what they wish for.
A friend of mine just bought a place on the 27th floor,
for 2 million. It’s right next to the beach. I told him to
get a boat, too. That’s how he will be accessing the place.