Hurricane Irma devastated large portions of the Florida Keys—the 100-mile ribbon of low lying narrow islands connected by bridges to south Florida. The Keys, dense with tourist resorts and beachfront properties, took the full punch of the storm when it first landed as a category 4 hurricane. It is estimated that 25 percent of the 50,000 homes in the Keys were destroyed, and 65 percent sustained major damage.

In the coming weeks, property owners will be scrambling to assess the full scope of the damage. Those lucky enough to have insurance will likely begin rebuilding. The unlucky uninsured might sell their land and leave, and wealthier entrants are sure to jump on the opportunity to buy beachfront property on this coveted strip.

There is just one problem in this zeal to redevelop the islands: The Next Storm. The Keys—like much of south Florida’s waterfront—are sitting ducks. They have been ravaged in the past by major storms, and will be flattened again with greater frequency in the future. They are not meant to be an axle of human habitation. In short, the Keys should not be rebuilt.

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