Conclusion

Housing in the United States has only recently begun to experience significant impacts of climate change. However, these effects will likely multiply in the coming decades, as slow-onset sea-level rise, extreme heat and drought, and more frequent and severe storms push Americans into climate migration.

Our analysis of the major touchpoints between U.S. housing and climate change has raised a number of questions for future research, including:

• What, if any, innovative models exist to fund managed retreat at scale?
• What is the future of homeowners insurance in high climate-risk areas?
• How might climate havens effectively prepare for a future influx of newcomers?

If we are to prepare for the cascading impacts on housing security that climate change will bring, these questions merit urgent research and policy discussion.