Reevaluating Miami’s Infrastructure After Irma

After escaping the worst of Hurricane Irma, local policy makers are ready to take a long, hard look at Miami’s infrastructural resilience. Climate change is not a new perplexity for South Florida but, amid an onslaught of hurricanes, the eminent risks of rising sea levels are coming to a head.

“This is the time to talk about climate change. This is the time that the president and the EPA and whoever makes decisions needs to talk about climate change,” said Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado in a Miami Herald interview. “If this isn’t climate change, I don’t know what is.”

Regalado and City Manager Daniel Alfonso are currently campaigning for a $400 million General Obligation Bond also known as the “Forever Miami.” The new debt, which would be funded by a property tax and issued as old debts come off the books, will allocate two-thirds of its budget to sea-rise mitigation and flood prevention.

In a memorandum to the Members of the City Commission, Alfonso wrote, “Think of the plan as part of an integrated approach to lifting up the city, one neighborhood at a time, starting with what’s underground up.”

How Miami will pay the entire bill won’t be decided for now. Regalado anticipates the federal government will help fund his initiative though President Donald J. Trump has made clear his disapproval of implementing new regulations intended to combat climate change.

“This overregulated permitting process is a massive self-inflicted wound on our country— it’s disgraceful…We’re going to get infrastructure built quickly, inexpensively — relatively speaking — and the permitting process will go very, very quickly,” Trump said in August during a speech at Trump Tower.

Since taking office, Trump has dismantled numerous Obama-era regulations for projects that receive federal funding. But as the government prepares to spend billions of dollars on disaster aid, the Trump administration may overturn its new infrastructure policies.

Another danger facing Miami’s long-term resilience is its booming real estate business.

Despite growing concerns, the real estate industry’s proclivity to build luxury high-rises along Miami’s vulnerable coastlines shows no signs of slowing down. Income properties remain in high demand, attracting buyer interest from around the world.

“We’re dependent on growth and development, because they are revenue generators. The problem with growth is if you don’t grow smart — if you only grow for the revenue — you will encounter problems. Local governments need to think about drainage and elevation,” said Dr. Maria Ilcheva, a senior researcher at Florida International University’s Metropolitan Center, in a Miami Herald interview.

In a city with billions of dollars in coastal assets, increased hurricane intensity is undoubtedly a harbinger of the future. Regalado is hopeful that Miami’s close encounter with Irma will encourage voters to approve flood prevention and sensible construction policies.

“I think this is a lesson for the people to say you know what? We have to be prepared,” said Regalado.