They were offered free flood protection. So why are so few homeowners saying yes?

Summary

Climate Connections — Episode Summary

Episode Title: They were offered free flood protection. So why are so few homeowners saying yes?
Air Date: July 16, 2026
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Produced by: Yale Center for Environmental Communication

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Episode Overview

This episode dives into a perplexing challenge faced in coastal southwest Louisiana: despite being offered free home elevation to reduce flood risk, only a small fraction of eligible homeowners are taking advantage of the program. Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz examines the reasons behind this hesitancy, focusing on community trust, prior government relations, and the complexities of disaster relief.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Rising Threats in Southwest Louisiana

  • The region is grappling with multiple climate dangers:
    • Rising seas
    • Sinking land
    • Intensified hurricanes
  • In response, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is offering to elevate about 1,000 homes for free. (00:01)

• Low Participation in the Free Program

  • Although the program has been available for three years, “just a fraction of homeowners have opted in.” (00:21, Dr. Leiserowitz)
  • The episode explores why so few residents are participating.

• Community Perspectives & Concerns

  • Cautious Optimism:
    • “Residents were cautiously optimistic that this was an opportunity that they would be able to take advantage of, make themselves safer.” (00:36, Ali Olsonoski, Environmental Defense Fund)
  • Lingering Questions:
    • Who will actually carry out the elevation work?
    • Will insurance rates increase as a result of the home improvements?
  • Trust Issues:
    • Many residents “who felt abandoned by the government after past disasters were hesitant to put their faith in state or federal agencies.” (00:55, Dr. Leiserowitz)

• Addressing the Trust Gap

  • Ali Olsonoski emphasizes the need for deeper engagement:

    “There needs to be a concerted effort to build a presence, a relationship, and really trust in these communities before they will be comfortable opting in.” (01:08, Ali Olsonoski)

• Advocacy and Next Steps

  • The Environmental Defense Fund is relaying residents’ feedback to the Army Corps of Engineers, aiming to shape a more responsive and trusted approach.

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Notable Quotes

• On Resident Perspective:

  “Residents were cautiously optimistic that this was an opportunity that they would be able to take advantage of, make themselves safer.”
  — Ali Olsonoski, Environmental Defense Fund (00:36)

• On the Importance of Trust:

  “There needs to be a concerted effort to build a presence, a relationship, and really trust in these communities before they will be comfortable opting in.”
  — Ali Olsonoski (01:08)

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Key Timestamps for Reference

• 00:01 — Introduction to the flood mitigation offer in Louisiana
• 00:36 — Ali Olsonoski shares residents’ cautious optimism
• 00:45 — Discussion of questions and barriers: insurance, reliability, and trust
• 01:08 — Call for building relationships and community trust
• 01:20 — Episode credits

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Takeaway

Despite the urgent need to address climate-driven flooding, trauma from past disasters and a lack of trust in government programs poses a significant barrier for Louisiana residents. This episode highlights that technical solutions require genuine community engagement—people need to feel secure, informed, and believed in before signing up for life-changing offers, even when they come free of charge.

Transcript

[A]

I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. In coastal southwest Louisiana, seas are rising, land is sinking, and hurricanes are intensifying. So to help reduce the risk of flooding for homes in the region, the U.S. army Corps of Engineers has offered to elevate up to about 1,000 eligible homes at no cost to homeowners. But since the program launched three years ago, just a fraction of homeowners have opted in. Ali Olsonoski of the Environmental Defense Fund helped run focus groups to learn how residents feel about the project.

[B]

Residents were cautiously optimistic that this was an opportunity that they would be able to take advantage of, make themselves safer.

[A]

But they have questions and concerns. For example, many want to know who will do the work or want confirmation that insurance rates won't go up. And she says some people who felt abandoned by the government after past disasters were are hesitant to put their faith in state or federal agencies. Her group is sharing this feedback with the Army Corps so the agency can take steps to address people's concerns.

[B]

There needs to be a concerted effort to build a presence, a relationship, and really trust in these communities before they will be comfortable opting in.

[A]

Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org.