More Than 1M NJ Residents Live Under High Flood Risk, New Report Says

NEW JERSEY - The idea that it does not just take a one-off natural disaster to cause millions of people to leave their homes is becoming more real by the day, right here in New Jersey due to the looming threats of "climate migration."

In a recent study conducted by Rebuild by Design (RBD), 1.3 million people in New Jersey live in high flood risk areas, with half of those being lower-income individuals who may lack the resources to evacuate. An additional $277.7 billion in property value and $3.2 billion in annual tax revenue are also under threat of being devastated by flooding.

By 2050, 565,000 residential, commercial and industrial properties (16.4 percent of all in New Jersey) will be considered under major flood risk, according to RBD. This will put $436B in (today's) market value in harm's way.

Cape May had the highest flood risk of any county in 2024, with 56.1 percent of their properties labeled high flood risk. This is on track to reach 70.6 percent by 2050.

High Flood Risk Data Table by County

Rebuild by Design is an organization that researches and builds collaborative efforts between government and independent resources to help communities recover in the face of natural disasters.

"Rebuild" was created as a design competition by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in collaboration with nonprofits and other philanthropic efforts in response to the devastation left by Hurricane Sandy in 2012 to New Jersey and other parts of the East Coast. A total of 13 states were heavily impacted by the storm, resulting in more than $65 billion in damages and economic loss.

According to the Migration Policy Institute, "climate migration" refers to human mobility linked to environmental drivers. Unlike other types of migrants, "climate migrants" are not a legally defined category. Climate change often weaves itself with other drivers of migration, such as economic factors, political unrest and conflict.

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Using the term "climate refugee" ignores the idea that climate change alone is not grounds for refugee protection. There are a few regional and national policies designated for disaster-displaced people, however, these do not usually apply to everyone who moved due to indirect impacts of climate change.

The term climate migrants, therefore, covers the following categories:

• Internal and international movement
• Forced or voluntary
• Temporary or permanent

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, an estimated 3.2 million adult Americans reported being displaced by a natural disaster in 2022. Of those displaced, an estimated 500,000 did not return to their homes by the beginning of 2023.

In a 2022 study, 30 percent of Americans polled in a "Forbes Home" survey said climate change is one reason why they would seriously consider moving out of their current residence.

Hudson River Project

After Rebuild by Design was built in the immediate aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, it was evident that their efforts and resources needed to be spread further, highlighting the need for more adequate protection around the Hudson River area of the state.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection was awarded close to $300 million by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development in the years that followed to protect the areas around Hoboken, Jersey City and Weehawken against future storm surge.

Today, a Sewer Separation Modification system is in place that better divides the sewer system to prevent water from surcharging in the area. This is part of a "Resist" structure that was built to prevent storm surge from entering Hoboken along the northern and southern areas of the waterfront.

Construction continues on a modern hybrid community recreational center that also mitigates flood risks to the city. The flood walls and gates that continue to be developed bat storm surges while affording residents the opportunity to take advantage of various outdoor amenities.

Calls to Action (According to Rebuild by Design)

1) Fund resilient Infrastructure to make communities safer through state funding sources to adapt to sea level rise and extreme weather.

2) Help families relocate by growing funding efforts for New Jersey’s Blue Acres voluntary buyout program to acquire homes in high-flood-prone and repetitive-flood zones, and provide more support to households opting to relocate.

3) Plan for short- and long-term migration by bolstering resources and access to housing, jobs, and resources in safer areas. This approach should integrate economic mobility and housing access, addressing the growing challenges of climate-induced displacement.

More On What's Being Done In Your Area With Resources Available From The NJ Office of Climate Resilience

NEW JERSEY'S RISK TO DISPLACEMENT & ECONOMIC EXPOSURE DUE TO FLOODING (Rebuild by Design)