Just 1 inch of floodwater in an average-sized home can cause an estimated $25,000 in damage. To help homeowners spot potential problems before disaster strikes, Boston is piloting free home flood assessments in neighborhoods including Port Norfolk in Dorchester, Massachusetts, according to Boston 25 News.
Here's what to know
Homeowners in participating areas, including Port Norfolk, can get a no-cost flood assessment through the city's pilot effort. During these visits, engineers look for places water could get in and other hazards a flood might create.
During one assessment at a Dorchester condo, the team found a sizable crack in a relatively new concrete floor. Engineers also inspected the home inside and out, checking utility connections, walls, floors, and other areas vulnerable to water.
Scott Tezak, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Tidal Basin, said the inspections are meant to pinpoint those weak spots early.
"We're trying to look at the things that make the house vulnerable to flooding," Tezak said.
More than 20,000 properties in the city face significant flood risk over the next 30 years — more than 20% of all properties.
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More background
While much of Boston's climate planning has centered on major infrastructure projects, Delaney Morris-Landry of Boston's Planning Department said these assessments give homeowners a more direct role in getting ready for stronger storms and sea level rise.
She said the effort also reflects the city's experience with damaging weather in 2018.
"This is a proactive step for our community to make sure that we are prepared for the future — the future of sea level rise, the future of storms," Morris-Landry said.
At the edge of the Neponset River where it opens to the Atlantic sits Port Norfolk. Ken Cooper — a Port Norfolk resident of 25 years — said his neighbors frequently discuss climate change and the extreme weather events, like flooding, that it creates.
Because floodwater can reach basement utilities and other essential equipment first, a free inspection could help homeowners avoid major repair costs.
What's being done?
The city's pilot program is giving homeowners a tailored look at flood risk instead of a one-size-fits-all warning.
Tezak said basements are a key focus because they often hold critical equipment.
"That's something we want to help them identify, make them aware of their risk, and help them mitigate it," he said to Boston 25 News.
Cooper signed up to see whether affordable steps could lower the risk at his home.
"I just wanted to know if there was anything that I should be doing that wouldn't dig too deep in my pocket to mitigate my risk here," Cooper said.
Morris-Landry said residents want practical actions they can take even as larger public works projects continue to require time and money.
"A lot of people are really interested in being empowered with action because they know some of these larger-scale projects are going to take a lot of time and money," she said to Boston 25 News.
Where can I learn more?
Homeowners and communities are preparing for floods by using practical fixes and pushing for better policies.
• Homeowners can use garden plants to slow runoff and reduce backyard flooding.
• In western North Carolina, families learned standard policies often exclude floods after hurricanes hit.
• In Louisiana, a new law could push insurers out of flood markets long term.
• North Carolina communities are confronting homes built in flood-prone areas as waters spread.
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