The Inequitable Impacts of Sea Level Rise: How East Palo Alto Serves as Both a Warning and Beacon of Hope for Coastal Communities

As sea level rise and coastal flooding continue to threaten communities globally, the impacts on shoreline residents will not be distributed equally. Projections of physical damage do not account for other environmental and socioeconomic contexts that overlap to disproportionately burden the most vulnerable communities. East Palo Alto, a city that regularly suffers from destructive flooding, is at high monetary and social risk from sea level rise due to a history of racially discriminatory practices that contributed to residents’ current socioeconomic disadvantage. This inequity poses a distinct environmental justice issue, requiring adaptation strategies that place the city’s environmental burden within past and present socioeconomic contexts. This Article proposes sea level rise adaptation strategies for East Palo Alto that achieve environmentally just outcomes for its residents. It first identifies the adverse impacts of sea level rise and how economic disadvantage creates amplified risks in socially vulnerable populations, often disproportionately burdening communities of color. Applying this framework, this Article finds that East Palo Alto’s experience of racially discriminatory government policies and housing practices has increased its residents’ vulnerability to sea level rise impacts. It evaluates current climate adaptation efforts and recommends strategies that prioritize environmental justice by utilizing local planning instruments, collaborating with stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions, and leveraging state and federal funding opportunities. Taken together, this Article offers a policy nexus that may prove useful for East Palo Alto and other coastal communities in implementing equitable adaptation measures.