ClimatePolitics

FEMA’s disaster buyout program is working — but there’s a catch

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Based on a feed excerpt; full article content has not been acquired. Source evidence retrieved 12/11/2026, 03:00:24 UTC.

Briefings

A 2026 study published in Science Advances by Rachel Young found FEMA's disaster buyout program successfully relocates residents and avoids future damages, but benefits are unevenly distributed. Participants from higher-income areas relocate more and move to better opportunities, while households in majority-Black or low-income neighborhoods face lower relocation rates and smaller improvements. The average buyout payment was $40,583 in Black-majority areas versus $93,977 in white-majority areas, and the estimated increase in relocation was 18 percentage points in smaller Black populations compared to 6 in majority-Black tracts. The program started in 1988 with the goal of avoiding repeated federal disaster aid, but the study highlights significant equity gaps and funding constraints.

Key points

• The FEMA buyout program successfully relocates residents and avoids future damages, with participants 20 percentage points more likely to relocate in the first five years than similar-impacted controls.
• Buyout payments vary significantly by neighborhood demographics, averaging $40,583 in Black-majority areas versus $93,977 in white-majority areas, creating equity gaps in relocation outcomes.

Context

FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program has spent over $6 billion on over 53,000 properties since 1988 to encourage relocation from disaster-prone areas. This study, published in Science Advances today, analyzes the program's effectiveness and equity, noting it is working but faces significant challenges in reaching millions of people and addressing deep-seated inequities.

Limitations

The study relies on a mix of private and public data, with specific details on wait times and post-program movement tracking limited. Some findings regarding long-term equity impacts and the full extent of funding constraints remain unverified without additional data access.

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