Why do people build homes in disaster-prone areas?

Seems like I'm always reading in the news about homes destroyed through floods, fires, landslides, hurricanes. And it keeps happening more times in the same areas. I am asking the question: why do people build homes in disaster prone areas?

I mean--why are people building million $$$ homes a couple of feet away from the shore of an ocean? A foot or two above high tide line, on a coast that is prone to hurricanes?

Or building homes in narrow mountains canyons, where frequent droughts and wildfires happen? Or next to a river that can rise 3x after heavy rains?

And then FEMA comes in with money to help these people rebuild---in the same vulnerable place? Doesn't make sense....

Thoughts? Opinions?

Let's block ads! (Why?)

Why do people build homes in disaster-prone areas?