The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices

U.S. government agencies execute home relocation programs, known as buyouts, in flood-prone areas to reduce hazard exposure. By converting the buyout properties into open space, these governmental agencies assume ownership and management responsibilities. As with all landscapes, the post-buyout land...

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Main Authors: Sumaira Niazi, Elyse Zavar, Alex Greer, Sherri Brokopp Binder
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Histories
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9252/5/1/14
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author Sumaira Niazi
Elyse Zavar
Alex Greer
Sherri Brokopp Binder
author_facet Sumaira Niazi
Elyse Zavar
Alex Greer
Sherri Brokopp Binder
author_sort Sumaira Niazi
collection DOAJ
description U.S. government agencies execute home relocation programs, known as buyouts, in flood-prone areas to reduce hazard exposure. By converting the buyout properties into open space, these governmental agencies assume ownership and management responsibilities. As with all landscapes, the post-buyout landscape reflects power dynamics and institutional forces that shape how the land is managed, perceived, and used. For acquired properties, historic housing polices, disaster risk reduction strategies, and the social construction of the land have all accumulated over time on the post-buyout landscape and influence contemporary land management practices. To understand the influence of power and social capital on post-buyout land management, this study analyzes land management practices and compares them with the socioeconomic characteristics of buyout neighborhoods in Harris County, Texas, USA, a county with a fifty-year buyout history. Results indicate that homeownership status, race, and ethnicity were related to post-buyout land management to varying degrees, thus reflecting differing degrees of social capital in buyout neighborhoods and therefore power to shape the management of post-buyout open space.
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spelling doaj-art-fb5b5db05e7c482ba51f70310c19065e2025-08-20T03:43:11ZengMDPI AGHistories2409-92522025-03-01511410.3390/histories5010014The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management PracticesSumaira Niazi0Elyse Zavar1Alex Greer2Sherri Brokopp Binder3Department of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USADepartment of Emergency Management and Disaster Science, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76205, USADepartment of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, University at Albany, Albany, NY 12222, USABrokoppBinder Research & Consulting, Allentown, PA 18102, USAU.S. government agencies execute home relocation programs, known as buyouts, in flood-prone areas to reduce hazard exposure. By converting the buyout properties into open space, these governmental agencies assume ownership and management responsibilities. As with all landscapes, the post-buyout landscape reflects power dynamics and institutional forces that shape how the land is managed, perceived, and used. For acquired properties, historic housing polices, disaster risk reduction strategies, and the social construction of the land have all accumulated over time on the post-buyout landscape and influence contemporary land management practices. To understand the influence of power and social capital on post-buyout land management, this study analyzes land management practices and compares them with the socioeconomic characteristics of buyout neighborhoods in Harris County, Texas, USA, a county with a fifty-year buyout history. Results indicate that homeownership status, race, and ethnicity were related to post-buyout land management to varying degrees, thus reflecting differing degrees of social capital in buyout neighborhoods and therefore power to shape the management of post-buyout open space.https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9252/5/1/14managed retreatproperty acquisitionmitigation strategiesland use managementclimate adaptation
spellingShingle Sumaira Niazi
Elyse Zavar
Alex Greer
Sherri Brokopp Binder
The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
Histories
managed retreat
property acquisition
mitigation strategies
land use management
climate adaptation
title The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
title_full The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
title_fullStr The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
title_short The Influence of Power on Post-Buyout Land Management Practices
title_sort influence of power on post buyout land management practices
topic managed retreat
property acquisition
mitigation strategies
land use management
climate adaptation
url https://www.mdpi.com/2409-9252/5/1/14
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