As floods become more severe, A New Jersey program provides a model

In the small borough of Manville, New Jersey, the haunting memories of devastating floods linger in the minds of its residents. Richard Onderko, now the mayor, recalls the harrowing day in 1971 when he and his brother were rescued from their family home as the remnants of Hurricane Doria unleashed torrential rains. This experience was not an isolated incident; for decades, the town of 11,000 has faced relentless tropical storms, nor’easters, and heavy rainfall that often leads to severe flooding. The impact of these natural disasters has been profound. Onderko remembers how the constant threat of flooding strained his parents' marriage, with his mother advocating for a move and his father wanting to stay put. Ultimately, in 1995, they sold their two-story home on North Second Avenue and relocated to Florida. The new owners, however, encountered similar flooding challenges, leading to the property’s eventual sale to a state-run initiative in 2015 that aims to buy and demolish homes in flood-prone areas, converting them into open spaces. Watching his childhood home succumb to a bulldozer was a painful moment for Onderko. Today, that lot is one of approximately 1,200 properties acquired by New Jersey's Blue Acres program, which has allocated over $234 million in federal and state funding to compensate homeowners seeking relief from the cycle of flooding. Established in 1995, Blue Acres is recognized nationally for its effectiveness, providing a quicker and more stable solution compared to federal buyout programs. A recent report from the Georgetown Climate Center highlights the program’s significant achievements in helping communities adapt to climate-related flooding by streamlining the buyout process and offering consistent financial support to affected homeowners.