'Resilient Houston' Plan Released

Andy Olin reports: "On Wednesday [February 12], the city released its 'Resilient Houston' strategy, a robust plan to invest in and strengthen the capabilities of neighborhoods, communities and the entire region to address, withstand and quickly recover from physical, social and economic shocks and stresses."

"Mayor Sylvester Turner unveiled the strategy alongside Chief Resilience Officer Marissa Aho and signed an executive order requiring all city departments to make resilience part of all strategic planning," according to article.

To describe the approach of Houston's new resilience strategy, Olin starts with the issue described as "top of mind" for most Houston residents: flooding.

In the context of resiliency, hurricanes and flooding are examples of acute shocks. Large scale, sudden events that disrupt and endanger life. Other shocks include economic crisis, cyberattacks, terrorism, chemical disasters and extreme heat and drought, among others.

Critically, though, the strategy not only addresses shocks, but also a litany of chronic stresses that make recovery from shocks difficult and that represent hurdles in Houstonians daily lives. The shocks and stresses identified in the strategy are tailored specifically to Houston.

For more news coverage on "Resilient Houston," see an article by Dylan McGuinness and Jasper Scherer for the Houston Chronicle.