When disaster strikes, 'land vultures' swoop in to buy homes from vulnerable residents

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published September 3, 2025 at 11:51 AM EDT

In the wake of tornadoes, wildfires, hurricanes and other natural disasters, disaster investors often outpace local governments and community recovery efforts, flipping properties for profit and fueling rapid gentrification.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong speaks to Sophie Hurwitz, climate solutions fellow with our editorial partners at Grist, about this phenomenon of hazard gentrification and whether cities can figure out a way to stop “land vultures” from taking advantage of vulnerable residents.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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