Letter from the Editor: Disaster Recovery

Climate change has made disaster preparedness and recovery even more necessary, and CDFIs and other intermediaries play key roles in supporting communities during and after crises. We invest in housing, infrastructure (roads, local businesses) and recovery efforts while also making communities more resilient for future events. Because the scale of disasters requires many groups to work together, intermediaries build critical partnerships to manage large initiatives. In many cases, LISC and our partners have been key facilitators to communities after disasters, providing guidance to local groups in accessing emergency resources, managing home repair programs, and making other critical investments in public and recreational facilities. As the frequency of disasters increases, it’s imperative that cross sector partnerships develop nimbly to aid in recovery efforts across America. 

In this Spotlight on Disaster Recovery we’ve compiled a thought piece on the connectedness of racial justice and climate justice, and various tools to help practitioners plan ahead. You can learn more about the Harvey Home Repair Collaborative in Houston, which was made possible through the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund, in this Q&A. We’ve also featured reflections from LISC’s Executive Vice President of Programs, Denise Scott, on LISC's investments in disaster relief and recovery. You will also find resources from the American Planning Association, including webinars, podcasts and research papers.  The resources we have curated support calls to action that have been made by communities across the country to support resilience and rebuilding.