disaster recovery
Healing Through Parks: Altadena’s Path to Recovery After the Eaton Fire
In the wake of the Eaton Fire, Altadena is uniting to restore Loma Alta Park, creating a renewed space for recreation, community gathering, and resilience.
Resilient Communities, Healthy Ecosystems: A Balanced Approach to Wildfires
Effective wildfire mitigation in California requires a holistic approach that goes beyond large-scale vegetation removal, emphasizing home hardening, defensible space, strategic planning, and reducing human-caused ignitions.
Language Matters: Addressing Communication Gaps in Disaster Response
A UCLA study reveals that language barriers left many Asian residents in Los Angeles County without critical wildfire evacuation and recovery information, highlighting the need for more inclusive emergency communication strategies.
Population and Economic Shifts in the Wake of the Maui Wildfires
The 2023 Maui wildfires have caused significant out-migration, reduced in-migration, and substantial economic losses, reshaping the island’s population and straining its recovery efforts.
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.
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.
City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
