Houston and New York are also designed with an expectation that those cities will flood. Most buildings in Houston, for example, forgo a basement and instead have a collecting vault underneath them that the rain drains into and from (and leaves more slowly and sustainably). There are fields set aside to ensure that there's land that can flood with minimal impact. County flood control districts will buy up property just to let it be undeveloped.

There are ways to mitigate the risks of living in a flood plain while still reaping the benefits.