Abstract

As natural disasters increase in frequency and severity, policy makers question the safety and sustainability of housing in flood zones. Areas along the St. John River in New Brunswick are prone to spring floods. In the past 11 years, three significant floods have damaged and destroyed housing. The tradition of staying in place despite property damage is becoming harder to practice. This paper investigates housing decisions after the 2018 St. John River flood. Data are analyzed from focus groups with residents who experienced residential damage and/or displacement during the flood and from semi-structured interviews with key informants. The analysis indicates that residents’ decisions to stay and move reflect attachment to home, integration within the community, practical considerations such as finances, and a range of emotional responses. These findings reinforce several theoretical perspectives on place and place attachment and indicate that policy makers need to consider the emotional and social implications of relocating communities and individuals in disaster prone areas.

摘要

随着自然灾害频率和严重程度的增加，政策制定者质疑洪水区住房的安全性和可持续性。新不伦瑞克省圣约翰河沿岸地区容易发生春季洪水。在过去的 11 年中，三场严重的洪水破坏和摧毁了房屋。尽管财产损失仍留在原地的传统越来越难以实践。本文调查了 2018 年圣约翰河洪水之后的住房决策。数据来自与在洪水期间遭受住宅损坏和/或流离失所的居民的焦点小组以及对关键知情人的半结构化访谈进行分析。分析表明，居民留下和搬家的决定反映了对家庭的依恋、社区的融合、财务等实际考虑以及一系列情绪反应。