Massachusetts Considers Voluntary Home Buyback Program for Flood-Prone Areas

Several coastal Massachusetts communities are considering voluntary buyouts of flood-prone homes as sea levels rise and flooding becomes more frequent.

Andrea Van Lierok of Hull, Massachusetts, is one of several individuals whose home was impacted when flooding from a January 2024 nor'easter flooded her Hull neighborhood.

According to an NBC10 Boston report, home buyouts have historically been handled on a case-by-case basis. Officials are now exploring a broader pilot program to address flood-prone properties.

"I think it's important because of the existential threat that these residents are experiencing that is not entirely their fault or their responsibility," Christian Krahforst, Hull's director of climate adaptation and conservation, said Monday in a statement to NBC10 Boston. "We are 66% in the floodplain, so we are very vulnerable across the board."

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey's administration emphasizes backing coastal communities with climate adaptation infrastructure amid rising environmental hazards.

"Four or five years ago, nobody was talking about this," said Kristin Uiterwyk, director of the Urban Harbors Institute at UMass Boston, in a statement shared with NBC10 Boston. "Nobody wants to tell somebody that they have to move. It's much better if the person comes to that realization on their own, which is why it's so good to start early. I feel like things are going in a good direction. It's still going to be an uphill battle; it's definitely a challenge, but we're making progress."

Any potential buyout program remains voluntary for now. A state study is currently underway to assess feasibility and to launch a more formal program within the next few years.