Hurricane Harvey: Texas' buyout plan to cope with floods may be unprecedented

Officials in the Houston area have asked Congress to pay for one of the largest home buyout programs ever, maybe even the biggest, in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. If the money is approved in Washington, which is by no means certain, the Harris County Flood Control District would buy and demolish 5,000 homes and other buildings in the floodplain, using $800 million in federal money. Two other branches of Harris County's government have asked for $329 million to buy out 1,725 homes. . . .