Rebuilding in hurricane zones

[Cobalt-60]

When a structure is knocked down by a storm certain to repeat it's just plain stupid to replace that structure exactly as it was.
It's certain to be destroyed again, possibly the very next storm season.
If people are going to live in the path of potent storms, their structures need to be sufficiently stout to shrug off the worst damage likely to be felt.
In the American South that means Hurricane damage.
If you must live in a ranch house move to Montana. If you need a cape cod - Live there.
If you're going to dance with Katrina's daughter, you need nothing less than reinforced concrete.
Many concrete domes have been exposed to Hurricanes. They shook off the wind, water, and conventional structure debris without difficulty
I know the South won't suddenly start looking like the Atlantic Wall because Cobalt-60 thinks its a good idea.
But I would suggest to the builders of such structures that they pony up the dough for a demonstration community. It should be close to the Southern coast, in the area of maximum damage.
It would be best if they did a whole small town still waiting for assistance.
After a few rounds of watching these boys ride out the storms undamaged while the cracker boxes around them are shredded, the message will get across.
And a Hurricane visitation would be less apocalyptic, particularly to the insurance companies.

[freethought]

1. Actually you should put more criticism at the Feds

Most insurance companies won't insure a home that's built near the ocean shore, especially in the southeastern U.S.
If they do the premiums the owner would pay would be stratospheric. Private insurance corps won't insure against floods anyway even if the home is in some landlocked state.

What other option is there for a dwelling or structure built on the shoreline in a hurricane zone? Eureka! F.E.M.A. Flood Insurance! The one type insurance that someone can afford to insure a structure in hurricane alley.

Federal Flood Insurance has been the subject of a great deal of criticism, especially in regards to insuring beach and coastal homes on the southeastern US. A beach home gets destroyed by hurricane storm surge and FFI rebuilds the home multiple times. The argument is that the Flood Insurance program encourages the destruction and building on coastal habitats and environs like beaches, dune areas, marshes, deltas and tributaries thus disrupting fisheries, nesting bird habitat. Septic systems usually used to service these homes leach into the water body close by and cause pollution. Destruction of dunes. Aside from that the people who live in these homes think the can close off access to the shore from the rest of the public. Many coastal states have legal provisions that guarantee access of the seashore to the general public even in the vicinity of private homes.

It has been suggested by some that FEMA Flood Insurance should stop insuring any structures in the hurricane zone entirely arguing that once that is done the over-development of coastal areas will be seriously inhibited or stopped.