William Butler

About William Butler

I am a Professor of Urban and Regional Planning at Florida State University where I have been on faculty since 2010. My research considers how to improve planning responses to climate change impacts, particularly sea level rise, climate gentrification, and health equity.

Areas of Expertise

Environmental Planning and Resource Management, Land Use Planning and Governance

Selected Publications

Zeno-Gonzalez, Ed and Butler, W. H. (2025) Post-Disaster Recovery is About Relationships: The Case of the Rural Town of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, Risks, Hazards, and Crisis in Public Policy.

Zeno-Gonzalez, Ed and Butler, W. H. (2025) The Sancocho Recovery following Hurricane Maria: NGOs, weak government, and improvised responses in rural Puerto Rico, International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction

Shi, L., Butler, W. H., Holmes, T. T., Ignatowski, J., Milordis, A., Thomas, R., Mahid, Y., & Aldag, A. (2023). Can Florida's Coast Survive Its Reliance on Development? Fiscal Vulnerability and Funding Woes under Sea Level Rise. Journal of the American Planning Association.

Milordis, A., Butler, W. H., & Holmes, T. T. (2023). What's Slowing Progress on Climate Change Adaptation?: Evaluating Barriers to Planning for Sea Level Rise in Florida. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 42. doi:10.1007/s11027-023-10083-4

Butler, W. H., Holmes, T. T., & Lange, Z. (2021). Mandated planning for climate change: Responding to the Peril of Flood Act for sea level rise adaptation in Florida. Journal of the American Planning Association, 87(3), 370-382.

Butler, W. H., Holmes, T. T., Jackson, A., Lange, Z., Melix, B., & Milordis, A. (2021). Addressing Climate Driven Displacement: Planning for Sea Level Rise in Florida's Coastal Communities and Affordable Housing in Inland Communities in the Face of Climate Gentrification (Research Report). Tallahassee, FL: Leroy Collins Institute.

Recent Courses Taught

Seminar in Planning Theory, Introduction to Environmental Planning and Resource Management, Collaborative Governance, Food Systems Planning, Hope and Resilience in Times of Climate Change