Client
City of Miami Beach
Completion Date
Ongoing
Location
Miami Beach, FL
HIGHLIGHTS
Flood Risk Evaluations
Customized Adaptation Options
Program Framework Development
Ongoing Technical Support
Services
Flood Mitigation Engineering
Program Management
Outreach & Communications
Public Policy
Impact
Actionable Guidance for Property Owners
Aligned Public-Private Approaches
Deeper Local Engagement
Greater Awareness of Flood Risks
Summary Overview
Expanding Resilience to Private Property: A Scalable Model for Community-Wide Impact
The Miami Beach Private Property Adaptation Program is a forward-looking pilot initiative, fully funded by the City of Miami Beach, designed to support property owners in preparing for the impacts of sea level rise and more frequent flooding. While the City continues to invest in resilient public infrastructure, this program focuses on expanding those efforts by exploring how private properties can be part of the solution.
Recognizing that resilience is a shared responsibility, the program set out to better understand how local government can empower property owners with the tools, information, and support needed to adapt their homes and buildings. Through technical assessments, educational outreach, and concept-level design assistance, the pilot gave participating property owners a chance to explore practical flood mitigation strategies tailored to their specific needs and site conditions.
Brizaga served as the lead consultant, working alongside City staff and a multidisciplinary team to develop a framework for the program, engage directly with property owners, and develop feasible adaptation concepts. These ranged from simple actions like equipment elevation and landscape grading to more comprehensive strategies like flood barriers or interior structural improvements.
In addition to design support, the program also explored how permitting, policy, and funding mechanisms could further enable action. The lessons learned are now helping inform the development of long-term strategies to expand and scale private property adaptation across Miami Beach and beyond, demonstrating how public leadership and private action can work together to build a stronger, more resilient community.
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
- First-of-its-kind initiative focused specifically on adapting private properties to sea level rise and flooding
- Direct engagement with property owners to understand real-world needs, challenges, and motivations
- Completed site-specific assessments at over 100 properties to evaluate flooding vulnerabilities and identify tailored adaptation strategies
- Provided user-friendly reports and visual materials to help property owners understand adaptation options and next steps
- Supported development of policy recommendations to align future program design with City goals and implementation pathways
- Helped shape program structures and decision frameworks to guide future private property adaptation efforts across the city
- Built a replicable model for other cities seeking to engage the private sector in resilience planning
OUR ROLE
Brizaga serves as the technical partner to the City of Miami Beach for its Private Property Adaptation Program. Working closely with City staff, Brizaga conducts detailed site assessments across a wide range of property types, including single-family, multifamily, and commercial buildings. For each site, we evaluate current conditions and vulnerabilities, then develop conceptual adaptation alternatives tailored to the property’s needs, constraints, and goals.
Throughout the process, we maintain direct communication with participating property owners to explain technical options, answer questions, and provide user-friendly visuals and summaries that help inform next steps.
To support program scalability, Brizaga also developed a set of standard adaptation details that streamline the design and construction process across multiple sites. These tools reduce barriers to implementation while maintaining flexibility for site-specific needs.
By aligning technical guidance with the City’s permitting, regulatory, and policy goals, Brizaga helps ensure the program remains both actionable for property owners and grounded in the City’s broader climate resilience strategy. Our role bridges technical analysis, public communication, and long-term program development, making adaptation more achievable at the local level.
WHY WE DID THIS
At Brizaga, we believe that resilience must reach every doorstep. While the City of Miami Beach has made major strides in adapting its roads, utilities, and shoreline systems, property owners are still on the front lines of flooding and sea level rise.
This program was an opportunity to help close that gap; not by placing the burden on individuals, but by working with the City to provide clear, supportive, and technically sound guidance for private adaptation. We saw the potential to make flood resilience more accessible, understandable, and achievable, especially when paired with funding and permitting support.
Our involvement reflects a core part of our mission: empowering people and communities with the tools and knowledge to adapt confidently. By supporting this innovative program, we’re helping lay the foundation for scalable, community-wide resilience, one property at a time.
PROJECT GALLERY
