Developing Smarter: A Path Forward for Coastal Real Estate: An In-Depth Study of the Increasing Risks Associated with Natural Disasters in Coastal Real Estate Communities

Coastal flooding is a problem that will only continue to worsen if we do not proactively address the situation. Due to rising sea levels, once in 500 year floods may now occur once every 5 years by 2030. In 2010, an astounding 40% of the U.S.’s population lived in coastal shoreline counties. That number is expected to increase by 8% in the year 2020. The U.S. is facing two problems: increasing development and population growth in coastal communities, and rising sea levels due to climate change. These two problems are now converging to create catastrophic damages. In Developing Smarter: A Path Forward for Coastal Real Estate, author Winston Smith asks the terrifying question--How will natural disasters continue to impact coastal real estate? He brings together the perspectives of real estate industry experts, members of FEMA’s disaster response team and the National Flood Insurance Program, insurance companies, and the world's leading nonprofits to come up with a comprehensive response strategy. By analyzing past natural disaster preparation and response tactics, Developing Smarter is able to provide the strategic and proactive measures necessary to ensure the safety and longevity of our cherished coastal cities.

According to the author, it all began while frolicking on the beach. His parents thought it was simply playing in the sand. It was, in fact, the beginning of a love affair with real estate. Winston Smith saw the sand as a blank canvas; a place to develop and experiment with his different sand castle visions. Now, after gaining professional experience in brokerage, construction, and private development, Winston hopes to use his knowledge to usher the real estate industry forward to a brighter tomorrow. Growing up near the coast, he understands, first hand, the human desire to be near the sea. Just as he understood the importance of constructing moats and barrier walls to protect his sand castles from the rising tides, Winston is determined to preserve our beloved coastal communities while providing an environment where future real estate development can prosper.