Lessons on Resilience and Recovery from 2017's Worst Disasters

Dissecting successful disaster response in places like Houston and Mexico City could help California prepare for the inevitable.

1 minute read

February 27, 2018, 6:00 AM PST

By Elana Eden


Wine Country Fires

The National Guard / Flickr

At the VerdeXchange 2018 Conference in Downtown Los Angeles, the chief resilience officers of Mexico City and Los Angeles joined city officials from Houston and San Francisco to share hard-won lessons on disaster recovery and urban resilience.

"There are tensions between the recovery process and what it means to transform the city to a more resilient city," explained Mexico City Chief Resiliency Officer Dr. Arnoldo Kramer. After a disaster like the earthquake that struck the city in September 2017, "there is a high demand for an expedited rebuilding process … However, we want to integrate this rebuilding into a long-term planning and thinking process."

As California gears up for a catastrophic earthquake of its own, San Francisco is working to lay the groundwork for a smooth economic recovery, with plans to minimize displacement and explore new insurance practices for vulnerable assets.

A common theme on the panel was the importance of active communication and collaboration among and within utilities, agencies, and communities year-round. During Hurricane Harvey, "our biggest asset was our people," Houston Public Works operations manager Sidney Bomer said.

"Comprehensive resilience is more than just about structures—it's about community and people," agreed San Francisco CAO Naomi Kelly.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 in The Planning Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Wastewater pouring out from a pipe.

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage

Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

April 13, 2025 - Inside Climate News

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

People walking up and down stairs in New York City subway station.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving

Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

April 18 - Scientific American

White public transit bus with bike on front bike rack in Nashville, Tennessee.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan

Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

April 18 - Bloomberg CityLab

An engineer controlling a quality of water ,aerated activated sludge tank at a waste water treatment plant.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding

The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.

April 18 - Smart Cities Dive