A common refrain in New Orleans is that water flows away from money. From the Crescent City down to the bayou, the communities most vulnerable to floodwaters suffer not simply because of geography and topography, but because of multiple social vulnerabilities. As policymakers in Louisiana and throughout the Gulf Coast region grapple with climate change adaptation, they must do so in a way that deliberately and effectively engages vulnerable communities in the planning process. This paper explores a number of community-level strategies for adaptation, with a special focus on ensuring the individuals and communities they are meant to protect have a say in their design and implementation. It identifies best practices for engaging individuals and their communities in initiatives like elevating structures, revising zoning laws, flood-proofing homes, and pre-disaster planning, to ensure policymakers understand and account for their needs. Co-authors Carmen Gonzalez, A common refrain in New Orleans is that water flows away from money. From the Crescent City down to the bayou, the communities most vulnerable to floodwaters suffer not simply because of geography and topography, but because of multiple social vulnerabilities. As policymakers in Louisiana and throughout the Gulf Coast region grapple with climate change adaptation, they must do so in a way that deliberately and effectively engages vulnerable communities in the planning process. This paper explores a number of community-level strategies for adaptation, with a special focus on ensuring the individuals and communities they are meant to protect have a say in their design and implementation. It identifies best practices for engaging individuals and their communities in initiatives like elevating structures, revising zoning laws, flood-proofing homes, and pre-disaster planning, to ensure policymakers understand and account for their needs. Co-authors Carmen Gonzalez, Alice Kaswan, Robert Verchick, Yee Huang, Shawn Bowen, and Nowal Jamhour explain that empowering communities, particularly ones that are already vulnerable for social and economic reasons, will ensure both environmental and social resilience.explain that empowering communities, particularly ones that are already vulnerable for social and economic reasons, will ensure both environmental and social resilience