Isle de Jean Charles

The mostly Native American community of Isle de Jean Charles made international headlines when it underwent a first-of-its-kind resettlement program due to coastal land loss and other climate change impacts. Now that residents have relocated, the state is focused on helping them stay there. But after hearing its sustainability plan at a recent meeting, residents expressed frustration over the new homes they received from the state.

The Isle de Jean resettlement program, a construction project spurred by extreme land loss that has been in the works for six years, is expected to finally wrap up this spring and move in its residents.

It was big news in 2016 when the state was awarded $48 million to relocate people from the disappearing island of Isle de Jean Charles. But the process...