Abstract
Anthropogenic climate change and urban development patterns are increasing flood risks in the United States (US). This dissertation aims to provide households, firms, and policymakers with relevant information on key aspects of household asset exposure and vulnerability to support decision-making toward effective and equitable flood risk reduction. Chapter 1 contains the introduction. Chapter 2 evaluates housing assets’ exposure to anthropogenic sea level rise (SLR), market responses following publication of a watershed scientific report on SLR, and the role of residential property value in Federal flood infrastructure allocation policy processes. Evidence indicates acute extant flood risk, not SLR, drives negative price effects, and status quo use of unweighted property values in Federal economic analyses and benefit-cost ratio calculations do not meaningfully account for preexisting property value disparities. Chapter 3 contributes a novel national stocktake of the number and value of household vehicles located in US floodplains, as well as a first analysis of Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster assistance applications and outcomes with respect to vehicle flood damages. Results suggest vehicle flood risk in the US is wide in scope and large in magnitude, and Federal government expenditures to support uninsured vehicle flood damages are substantial. Chapter 4 gathers novel survey data from coastal vehicle owners and finds robust willingness to pay for a single-peril vehicle flood insurance product, as well as significant auto insurance literacy gaps which may leave many coastal vehicle owners financially vulnerable to flood exposure. Conclusions are provided in Chapter 5. Overall, findings provide insight into key household assets’ exposure and vulnerability to climate change-exacerbated flood hazard, and identifies potential policy avenues to achieve future risk reduction.