Hundreds of homes up for sale as residents flee coastal town: 'All the destruction'

Residents of one Gulf Coast town are packing up for good while others see opportunity amid a plethora of problems.

What's happening?

In Sanibel, Florida, things are getting back to the way they were three years ago. Hurricane Ian in 2022 wiped out a causeway that provided the only access to the island. Homes, businesses, and more were destroyed.

Residents, used to living with the threat of hurricanes and weathering tropical storms, were unprepared for the devastating surge of seawater that came with this one. The prospect of rebuilding after the flooding, as well as paying higher insurance rates and property taxes, was too much for some.

Over 300 homes are for sale, as WINK News reported, though there are buyers.

Why is this important?

Brent Castillo is one recent homebuyer.

"Despite all the destruction that's happened, what didn't get destroyed is the beach and the water, and that's why we come here," he said. "Our families love it. … We know that this community is going to rebuild, and that's why we want to buy here."

It's a risky proposition, to be sure, but improved infrastructure and a reinforced causeway could make for a safer and more resilient community.

Hurricanes, however, are intensifying as global and sea surface temperatures continue to rise. This means greater potential for injuries and deaths, property and business damages, and higher insurance and tax rates.

What's being done about the risks of living in Sanibel?

Sanibel Public Information Officer Eric Jackson told WINK News that the city has instituted over 40 ordinance changes "to help expedite the recovery process." On May 1, beaches will open with 800 free parking spaces. A pair of resorts reopened in February. And trees and other vegetation are being planted.

In the long term, the solution is to swap dirty energy sources for clean ones. The former — coal, gas, and oil — produce heat-trapping pollution when they are burned, not only warming Earth and harming human health but also exacerbating the effects of natural disasters. The latter promise a cooler, safer future.

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You can help mitigate the consequences of the changing climate by installing a heat pump, leveling up to induction cooking, and exploring critical climate issues so you can educate others on how we can work together to save the world.

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