2025-09-10 00:00:32.579

In Charleston, South Carolina, the rising waters of climate change are creating a stark divide. While a $1.3 billion seawall is planned to protect the historic downtown peninsula, lower-income neighborhoods like Rosemont, a historically Black community, are left unprotected. Residents face repeated flooding, losing possessions and fearing for their homes' future. The city's rapid development, paving over wetlands and increasing impervious surfaces, exacerbates the problem. This situation mirrors challenges in many coastal cities, where rising sea levels and increased flooding disproportionately impact vulnerable communities. Insurance companies are raising premiums and refusing renewals, forcing residents to relocate. The story highlights the inequities of climate adaptation, the long and difficult process of buyouts and relocation, and the urgent need for a national strategy to address the displacement of people from flood-prone areas. The experience of residents like Luvenia Brown and Ana Zimmerman serves as a warning for other coastal communities facing similar threats.

2025-09-09 18:00:23.161

In Charleston, South Carolina, rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms are exacerbating flooding, particularly in low-income, historically Black neighborhoods like Rosemont. While the city and federal government plan a $1.3 billion sea wall to protect the affluent downtown peninsula, neighborhoods like Rosemont are left unprotected, facing the brunt of the rising waters. This disparity highlights the unequal impact of climate change on vulnerable communities. The situation is further complicated by rapid development, which replaces absorbent wetlands with impervious surfaces, worsening flooding. The article details the experiences of residents forced to abandon their homes due to repeated flooding and the slow, inadequate response from authorities. The lack of a national strategy for relocating people from flood-prone areas and the long delays in buyout programs leave many vulnerable families with little hope.