Federal housing recovery policy bounds many of the decisions made by households after a disaster. Within this policy domain, home buyout programs are increasingly used to encourage residents to permanently relocate out of areas considered at risk for future hazards. While buyouts offer homeowners and governments potential benefits, research exploring the impacts of these policies is limited. In this paper, we present an in-depth examination of the community experience of buyouts, a perspective that is noticeably lacking in the literature. Using data from two mixed-method empirical studies, we explored the implications of buyout program design and implementation for Oakwood Beach, New York, a community offered a buyout after Hurricane Sandy. We found that design decisions made at program conception significantly impacted participants' experience of the buyout, including their understanding of program goals and their progression through the buyout and relocation process. We conclude with recommendations for future buyouts, including increased inclusion of affected communities in the process of and pre-event planning for recovery, along with recommendations for future research.

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Home buyout programs are implemented in the aftermath of disasters, with the goal of moving households or entire communities out of areas that are at risk for a future hazard event. Buyout programs offer residents pre-disaster market value for their homes to relocate away from a hazardous area, and land purchased through buyouts is required to be maintained as open space in perpetuity. Our understanding of how these programs impact affected households and communities, however, is limited. Using a mixed methods design, 36 residents of Oakwood Beach, NY, were asked to describe their experiences with a home buyout program that was implemented in their community after Hurricane Sandy in 2012. While survey results showed that residents were generally satisfied with the buyout, a different picture emerged when they were asked to qualitatively describe the process of being bought out. Their experiences centered around three themes: (i) lack of information and communication from buyout officials; (ii) challenges surrounding the process of sale; and (iii) the buyout as a foregone conclusion. In light of these findings, recommendations are made to inform future home buyout programs and relocation policies.KEY WORDS: disaster planning and preparedness, disaster recovery

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PurposeHome buyout programs are typically funded by the federal government and implemented by local agencies. How these agencies design and implement buyouts has considerable impacts on participating households and communities, making understanding the internal processes of implementing agencies a critical component of buyout research. This study addresses this issue by exploring the early design and implementation phases of a buyout program in Harris County, Texas, following Hurricane Harvey.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via semi-structured interviews with buyout staff and government stakeholders. Data were analyzed in two phases using grounded theory methodology and holistic coding.FindingsThere was considerable tension regarding the role of buyouts in mitigation and recovery. Participants conceptualized buyouts as mitigation programs, but recognized that residents, in contrast, viewed buyouts as a tool for household recovery.Research limitations/implicationsThis study adds to questions raised in the literature about the efficacy of buyouts and other relocation efforts implemented in response to disasters and global climate change. Future research should work to build systematic knowledge regarding design, implementation, and impacts of buyouts on affected households and communities.Practical implicationsTension in the purpose of buyouts may be the cause of consistent shortcomings in buyout implementation including attrition, checkerboarding, and transfer of risk. Funding, timing, and the scale of buyouts do not align with household recovery needs and priorities, limiting the mitigation potential of buyouts.Originality/valueThis study identifies a fundamental tension in the purpose of buyout programs that has yet to be discussed in the literature.