Research Report Social, Cultural, and Recreational Institutions and Climate Migration
An Evaluation of Socio-Cultural Practices in Receiving Communities
Mark Treskon, Jorge Morales-Burnett
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This report examines the roles that social, cultural, and recreational institutions play in responding to the needs of climate migrants in three US Gulf Coast receiving communities: Orange and Osceola Counties surrounding Orlando, Florida; Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes in Louisiana; and Houston, Texas. This study investigates the social, cultural, and recreational conditions that existed in receiving communities before and after climate migrants’ arrival; the responses undertaken by institutions and providers to respond to migrants; and how institutional conditions and capacities in receiving communities have changed over time.

This report is one of five studies of climate migration and institutional impacts in the Climate Migration and Receiving Community Institutional Capacity in the US Gulf Coast project, which examines impacts to housing markets, financial institutions and financial health, employment and economic development, health care systems, and social, cultural, and recreational institutions.

Why This Matters

Social, cultural, and recreational institutions often provide critical socio-cultural supports not addressed by other receiving community institutions and build long-lasting relationships with climate migrants in receiving communities over time.

Key Takeaways

  1. Local and extra-local response networks link climate migrants to resources and social and cultural networks.
  2. Faith-based institutions and schools are key institutions providing broad and long-term social and cultural linkages and supports.
  3. Sustainability is a challenge for organizations built around meeting migrants’ acute needs.
  4. Because funding structures emphasize rapid response and immediate relief efforts, social, cultural, and recreational organizations must be entrepreneurial or build broader institutional capacities to remain active in the long run.

How We Did It

The data sources for this study were 42 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across the three study sites. Interviewees included representatives from advocacy organizations, arts organizations, foundations, local government agencies, schools and universities, and social services nonprofits including faith-based organizations, charities, counseling service organizations, and food banks.
Research and Evidence Health Policy Housing and Communities Work, Education, and Labor Family and Financial Well-Being Tax and Income Supports Research to Action Technology and Data Equity and Community Impact Nonprofits and Philanthropy Upward Mobility
Expertise Climate Change, Disasters and Community Resilience Upward Mobility and Inequality Thriving Cities and Neighborhoods Nonprofits and Philanthropy Workforce Development Apprenticeships Wealth and Financial Well-Being Health Care Coverage, Costs, and Access Taxes and the Economy Social Safety Net Urban Development and Transportation Housing
Tags Climate safety net Climate displacement and migration Employment and education Transportation Federal, state, and local immigration and integration policy Financial products and services Health care systems and managed care plans Health equity Housing and the economy Housing markets Housing stability Immigrant-serving organizations Immigrants and the economy Job markets and labor force Job search and matching Labor force Neighborhood change Race, gender, class, and ethnicity Rental housing Rural people and places State and local tax issues Land use and zoning Community Engagement Resource Center Data collection Qualitative data analysis Quantitative data analysis
Cities Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX New Orleans-Metairie, LA Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL