Density and Disaster: New Models of Disaster Recovery for Housing in High-Density Cities

When Superstorm Sandy struck the New York City metropolitan area, it brought to light serious limitations in the ability of federal disaster aid programs to serve the residents of high-cost, high-density cities. Our current models of rehousing, repair, and rebuilding are geared towards low-density, owner-occupied, single-family homes. Yet, over half the world’s population lives in dense, urbanized areas, many of which are susceptible not only to hurricanes, but also to earthquakes, tsunamis, and tornadoes.

Given the serious risks many dense coastal cities face, we must develop more effective models to respond to disasters in dense, urban areas before the next disaster strikes.