This interview-style news podcast explores the complex challenges of building homes in areas prone to climate-related disasters. The discussion features examples from California (wildfires), Arizona (droughts), and New Jersey (flooding), highlighting the tension between the need for housing and the risks of building in hazardous locations. In California, a proposed housing development faced legal challenges due to evacuation concerns, while in Arizona, a loophole in water-usage regulations allowed for the construction of rental units despite water scarcity. New Jersey, however, is presented as a potential model, having successfully implemented regulations to limit building in flood-prone areas and purchasing flood-damaged homes to remove them. The podcast concludes by emphasizing the urgency of long-term planning in addressing the increasing frequency and severity of climate-related disasters.
