Houston, Texas, one of many communities affected by Hurricane Harvey, is faced with the challenge of managing its rapid growth and increased risk to flooding in a context of comparatively minimal land- use regulations. In the wake of Harvey, a prominent public debate on the increasing interest in and use of buyouts as part of Houston’s recovery continues to grow. A case study of Houston, TX post-Harvey structured through site analysis and interviews with residents, professionals engaged with flood management issues and an elected official reveals a storm of Harvey’s magnitude has made it necessary for the city to consider buyouts on a much larger scale than current programming can manage.
The challenge of making flood mitigation strategies like buyouts, or acquisitions more broadly, part of a larger local initiatives is embedded in a long-standing issue within the practice of planning to integrate hazard mitigation into local land use planning. However, as extreme weather events become more frequent and intense, it is crucial for local planning professionals to actively incorporate hazard mitigation strategies into the forward-thinking planning process, guiding development to areas of less risk. A review of precedent cities that attempted to pursue acquisition programs in conjunction with local planning initiatives exemplify the importance of using local land use planning tools to create alternative mechanisms that can better facilitate the land acquisition process. These examples then shape a recommendation for the City of Houston to craft its own comprehensive acquisition program as well as provoke the practice of planning to further engage in the process of unbuilding the built environment.
I would like to thank my thesis advisor Dr. Abby Spinak for her time, attention and patience. Her help is what made working on this project rewarding. I would also like to thank the Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation for their support of my field studies in January 2018. In particular, I would like to thank the co-directors of the Program on Crisis Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School, David Giles and Dr. Arnold Howitt. Your consultations helped shaped this project.
Thank you to all those who I interviewed in Houston back in January 2018. Your thoughts and perspectives are the heart of this project. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents for their endless support throughout my life.
I dedicate this work to my parents, to Texan families far and wide, and to those who work endlessly to make their house a home.
A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Urban Planning and Design, Harvard University Graduate School of Design by
SHANASIA SYLMAN
In Partial Fullfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER IN URBAN PLANNING