Flood Recovery Outcomes and Disaster Assistance Barriers for Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Disaster recovery spending for major flood events in the United States is at an all-time high. Yet research examining equity in disaster assistance increasingly shows that recovery funding underserves vulnerable populations. Based on a review of academic and grey literature, this article synthesizes empirical knowledge of population disparities in access to flood disaster assistance and outcomes during disaster recovery. The results identify renters, low-income households, and racial and ethnic minorities as populations that most face barriers accessing federal assistance and experience adverse recovery outcomes. The analysis explores the drivers of these inequities and concludes with a focus on the performance of disaster programs in addressing unmet needs, recognition of intersectional social vulnerabilities in recovery analysis, and gaps in data availability and transparency.

Flood frequency and flood intensity changes in the post embankment period in the Kosi sub-basin India: Impact of location, caste, and class on the flood vulnerability of the marginal communities

“…This makes these communities, especially the marginalized Musahar and Mallah more susceptible to flooding and hence more vulnerable to flood risk and loss of livelihood. In the event of extreme rainfall and flooding, the marginal communities are the ones affected the most and take years to recover from it (Wilson et al, 2021).…”

Systemic Financial Risk Arising From Residential Flood Losses

“…Mortgage default can have a substantial effect on the financial standing of a property owner, impacting both their ability to recover from a flood event and their overall psychological and physical wellbeing (Alley et al., 2011; Vásquez‐Vera et al., 2017). Moreover, property owners at risk of default and/or abandonment may be the least able to mitigate their personal financial risk through strategies such as purchase of flood insurance (Atreya et al., 2015; Brody et al., 2016; Kousky, 2011) or may be unable to access or qualify for SBA loans (Wilson et al., 2021). In these cases, property owners retain negative consequences of the flood, which may include living in a damaged home, or absorbing losses of equity.…”

Systemic Financial Risk Arising from Residential Flood Losses

“…Mortgage default can have a substantial effect on the financial standing of a property owner, impacting both their ability to recover from a flood event and their overall psychological and physical wellbeing (Alley et al, 2011;Vásquez-Vera et al, 2017). Moreover, property owners at risk of default and/or abandonment may be the least able to mitigate their personal financial risk through strategies such as purchase of flood insurance (Atreya et al, 2015;Brody et al, 2016; or may be unable to access or qualify for SBA loans (Wilson et al, 2021). In these cases, property owners retain negative consequences of the flood, which may include living in a damaged home, or absorbing losses of equity.…”