A Comparative Study of Community-led Relocation in the United States and Aotearoa New Zealand: Lessons from the Buyout of Hazard-Prone Properties

Abstract

This report describes an international comparative study of managed retreat in the United States and New Zealand, where the acquisition of hazard-prone housing (buyouts) in both countries are used to highlight key issues that are germane to this evolving climate change adaptation measure. Based on this assessment, specific policy recommendations are provided for both countries, which is timely as both the United States and New Zealand are exploring the possible development of national managed retreat programs. As part of this assessment, including a review of existing literature, buyout lessons have not been effectively translated from those who have undertaken buyouts to others considering this process (Greer and Brokopp-Binder 2016; Vila and Smith forthcoming). Nor are specific buyout lessons learned being translated into national, state, and local policy recommendations advancing community led relocation (Smith 2014a; National Academies of Science 2024). Given these concerns, an important part of this report includes 68 recommendations describing how this issue can be addressed and how to use these recommendations to improve community-led relocation.