disaster recovery
Altadena’s Resilience: Restoring a Fire-Ravaged Community
The Eaton Fire has devastated Altadena, destroying homes, cultural landmarks, and community institutions, while residents rally to rebuild and preserve the town's rich history, diversity, and neighborly character.
Rebuilding After Disaster: The Role of Social Connections in Resilience
Dr. Lucy Jones emphasizes that resilience in the face of climate-driven disasters like wildfires relies on building strong social connections, which empower communities to recover and adapt to an increasingly challenging future.
Post-Helene Reflections on Solastalgia and Community
Solastalgia is an increasingly relevant word that refers to the homesickness one feels when still at home, caused by distress due to environmental change in one’s home environment – for example, after a hurricane or wildfire.
$2.1 Billion Secured for Maui Wildfire Recovery and Resilience
Congress has approved federal funding to support Maui’s wildfire recovery, including housing, economic development, and infrastructure improvements while fostering long-term community resilience and preparedness.
Love Letter to Asheville
A River Arts District resident and urbanist reflects on her experience in the former “climate haven” in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
FEMA Extends Deadline for Hazard Mitigation Grant Applications
Tight applications prevented many communities struck by disasters from applying for FEMA resilience grants, so the agency issued a new rule that extended the application window.
Are FEMA’s Disaster Assistance Calculations Biased Against Rural Communities?
The federal tool used to inform flood protection spending calculates communities' risk by multiplying expected annual loss in dollars by their risk factor. As a result, many rural areas are classified as “low” risk, despite frequent, severe flooding.
Commentary: We Need to Build for Disaster, Not Simply Focus on Recovery
As the frequency and severity of weather events increases, building codes need to be adjusted to include resilience principles.
Applying Trauma-Informed Design to Cities
How trauma-informed urbanism can make cities and their residents healthier and more resilient.
The Racial Inequity of Disaster Recovery
Disaster recovery in the Houston area has been inconsistent, with low-income residents of color continuing to struggle to put their lives and communities back together.
Deciding Not to Rebuild After Climate-Related Disasters
Officials in cities along the East Coast are realizing that maybe they shouldn’t rebuild on land that repeatedly floods. But that’s easier said than done.
Harvey's Effects Still Apparent in Houston's Capital Spending
It's hard to measure exactly how much, but Hurricane Harvey has significantly pushed the city of Houston's capital spending program toward recovery efforts.
Houston Has a $1.15 Billion Harvey Recovery Plan
Houston is taking steps to finalize and approve a plan to spend $1.15 billion in federal disaster relief funding after Hurricane Harvey.
Post-Harvey Homeowners Face an 'Army of Speculators'
In Houston, investors are snapping up damaged homes that will be dependent on flood insurance.
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.
HUD Cuts Red Tape to Support Hurricane Recovery
Administrative changes announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will impact programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investment Partnerships programs.
Up and Running: The Speedy Recovery of Houston's City Hall
Following Hurricane Harvey, Houston's City Hall became flooded with four feet of water, rendering the building's electrical and mechanical equipment useless. Restoring power back to City Hall quickly was crucial in aiding the recovery efforts.
Planning After the 1666 Great Fire of London
Revisiting a collected effort to reshape one of the world's most famous cities after a catastrophic disaster.
What We Didn't Learn From Katrina
Cities are immensely complex self-organizing systems, not mere top-down designs—but they do need top-down interventions in strategic places. Unfortunately, we still have inadequate models and tools.
New Orleans Transit Service Not Keeping Pace with Recovery
A pair of articles in the Times-Picayune, along with a new study from advocacy group Ride New Orleans, finds the transit system in New Orleans doing less with more.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Placer County
Skagit Transit
Berkeley County
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland
