In this opinion piece, Ban Ki-moon, former secretary general of the United Nations, and Francis Suarez, mayor of Miami, offer their lessons learned in building resilience against climate change. Among other pieces of advice, they recommend joining regional and global resilience networks, such as Resilient Cities Network taking a holistic, long-term approach; and the importance of… Read more
As part of resilience planning, local leaders must assess how local hazards and threats may impact their financial resources in order to both strengthen existing resources and prevent the community’s finances from plunging into the red in the event of a natural or manmade disaster or threat. Ideally, communities should look at ways to build… Read more
Faced with staff and funding shortages, small communities have few resources to spend on resilience planning and project implementation. Local leaders often have to make tough choices about which projects to fund and which to set aside. Yet deciding on which project to implement is easier said than done – resilience encompasses so many components… Read more
Resilience is an on-going process that runs throughout every phase of natural disaster planning, response and recovery, and should be kept at the forefront of every decision communities make – not just regarding natural disasters. A resilient community is better-equipped to handle predicted and unexpected stresses and threats. Through our experience helping communities across the… Read more
FEMA dedicates funding on an annual basis for its Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Program to assist local and state governments with hazard mitigation planning and project activities. Integrating disaster mitigation into disaster planning and recovery enables a holistic, proactive approach to disaster management that can reduce disaster-induced damages, costs, and the recovery timeline. US states, territories,… Read more
Each year, FEMA allocates funding to its Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grant program for local and state governments to apply towards reducing or eliminating the risk of repetitive flood damage to properties covered by the . Flood mitigation activities, like restricting development in floodplain areas, stormwater management improvements, and updating building codes, can significantly reduce… Read more
No matter how prepared and well practiced your locality is to handle post-disaster recovery, putting these plans into action amidst the disarray after a major natural disaster presents unforeseen challenges that put even the best-laid plans to the test. Below, the City of Central, Louisiana, shares some of the strategies they successfully implemented to work… Read more
The City of Central, Louisiana, although well-equipped to handle severe flooding, was forced to navigate unexpected obstacles in the wake of the historic August 2016 flooding. The historic storm dumped 24 inches of rainfall in a 48-hour period, isolating the City and flooding 60 percent of the City’s single-family homes. Reflecting on their experiences, City… Read more
After a flood event, homeowners often struggle to understand the requirements and procedures of the , presenting unexpected challenges in an already dire situation. Homeowners must have a clear understanding of the intricate processes of the NFIP, particularly the concept of , to determine what actions will need to be taken throughout the recovery process.… Read more
High-performance infrastructure can not only mitigate the severity and cost of damages incurred from natural disasters, but it also attracts more diverse funding sources such as green bonds, catastrophe bonds, resilience bonds, and social impact bonds. This HUD fact sheet provides governments of all levels with a basic overview of innovative financing mechanisms available to… Read more
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