When Hurricane Delta hit in the fall of 2020, three feet of water flooded Trameka Rankins’s house in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Seven months later, she was nearly done repairing and refurnishing the home when torrential rain pummeled the city once more. Her home flooded again.

“All the furniture, all the flooring, all the appliances, the cabinetry … it went to the road again – some still having tags on it,” she says.

Rankins lives in a low-lying neighborhood called Greinwich Terrace. She says flooding has grown worse there in recent years. Climate change is causing more extreme rain, and nearby development has eliminated green space that once helped absorb stormwater.

“You’re putting concrete on this marshland that used to hold water. Now there’s nowhere for the water to go,” Rankins says.

For years, she has pressured local officials to find a solution. In June, the state of Louisiana announced it will spend $30 million to buy out the most flood-prone homes. The land will be converted to open space that can help absorb stormwater in the future.

After all she’s been through, Rankins is skeptical, but cautiously optimistic about the program. She hopes it will allow her to rebuild her life on higher ground.

Reporting credit: Sarah Kennedy/ChavoBart Digital Media