Immediate Response to Headwater Flooding in Charlotte, North Carolina

Abstract

This article examines the immediate responses to the headwater flooding of two structurally homogeneous neighborhoods in Charlotte, North Carolina, one predominantly black and the other predominantly white. The results of the research suggest that the distress and disruption caused by noncatastrophic floods are a genuine neighborhood issue, even in neighborhoods with other serious problems like crime, lack of parks and recreation areas, speeding traffic, and unemployment. Faced with frequent flood damage, a significant number of property owners were willing to assume some monetary costs for protecting their homes and safety, but residents of the white neighborhood were not amenable to remedial measures that would necessitate relocation out of their neighborhood. Respondents in both neighborhoods appeared to possess a realistic understanding of the causes of flooding and its financial impact on property values. However, a significant subgroup of blacks viewed flooding as an uncontrollable natural event and were less confident of their ability to deal with the hazard. Residents of both neighborhoods strongly favored increased public sector involvement in implementing adjustments to the flooding hazard.