Climate Change
Young adults more likely to expect climate change impact on housing, support possible solutions
People under the age of 35 were most likely to say they expect their homes and communities to be impacted by climate change within their lifetime, according to a recent analysis by the real estate site Zillow.
In the Zillow Housing Aspirations Report, a semiannual survey of 10,000 homeowners and renters in 20 of the largest metro areas in the United States, 62 percent of respondents between this ages of 18 and 34 said they expect climate change to affect their homes and communities "a great deal or somewhat" within their lifetime. The share fell to 51 percent in the 35-54 age group and 39 percent in the 55 and older age group.
The youngest age group was also more likely to support various initiatives to address climate change and prevent potential housing disruption. Seventy-four percent said they support making structural changes to their home to endure the effects of climate change, while 71 percent supported laws to stop home construction in high-risk areas. Sixty-eight percent said they would be willing to move to a lower risk area, while 61 percent said they would support requirements to have homeowners in high-risk areas purchase disaster insurance.
Half or more of all age groups supported initiatives to require homeowners in highrisk areas to buy disaster insurance or make structural changes to their homes. Laws to stop construction in high-risk areas enjoyed the most support across all age groups, with 72 percent of those ages 55 and older and 70 percent of those ages 35 to 54 saying they would support this initiative.
This support also cut across the political spectrum. Seventy-eight percent of Democrats, 70 percent of independents, and 62 percent of Republicans said they would get behind laws restricting construction in high-risk zones.
"This survey confirms that millions of Americans are sensitive to the risks associated with climate change and believe they will face them in their lifetimes," said Skylar Olsen, director of economic research at Zillow. "Young adults are much more likely to recognize the reality of climate change-related risks to their homes and communities. Every month new evidence is brought to light about the risks ranging from rising temperatures to more frequent floods to wildfires, and people are hearing the message. Even across age groups and political lines, there is at least consensus that when you are in a hole the first step is to stop digging, in this case by not continuing to build new homes in high-risk areas."
Respondents were less likely to support climate change initiatives that would affect their taxes, although a slight majority of the youngest age group—51 percent—said they would support higher taxes to fund seawalls, artificial dunes, and other infrastructure. Support fell to 40 percent in the 35-54 age group and 36 percent in the 55 and older age group.
Few people supported higher taxes for relocation and demolition efforts in the most at-risk communities. Thirty-seven percent of the 18-34 age group said they would support this initiative, while just 26 percent of the 35-54 age group and 20 percent of those ages 55 and older felt the same.
Respondents in Miami were most likely to say they expected climate change to affect their community within their lifetime, with 61 percent giving this response. Fifty-nine percent of respondents from San Jose, Calif., 57 percent from Los Angeles, and 56 percent from New York City felt the same. St. Louis respondents were least likely to expect climate change to affect them, although 40 percent said they anticipate it will.
Sixty-three percent of Democrats said they expect climate change to impact their community within their lifetime, compared to just 43 percent of Republicans.
A previous analysis by Zillow determined that unchecked pollution would put more than 802,000 homes in a 10-year flood risk zone by the year 2050. The report also noted that the new home building rate in 10-year flood risk zones was proceeding faster than construction in lower risk zones in one-third of the nation's coastal states.