The city was founded in the late Roman period (5th century) by refugees from the mainland, which was being ravaged by constant warfare as civil order collapsed. The early residents knew perfectly well that living on islands created storm risks, but they deemed those preferable to being sacked by Goths, Lombards, or local warlords from neighboring city states every few years. The city prospered through the medieval and early modern period, in large part because of its defensible location. Now it is an extraordinary historical site and tourist attraction with huge maintenance issues. We were there this summer. Wonderful place.
I'm all in favor of letting the hurricanes take Hilton Head. Our development on barrier islands is insane and we shouldn't waste money rebuilding after storms. It was a mistake to rebuild New Orleans below sea level. But Venice has so much historical and artistic importance that it's worth trying to preserve. I suppose the price might eventually become prohibitive, which would be sad.
Thanks for your wise & fitting insights & defense of Venice.