Mitigating Damage from Natural Disasters

Over the last several decades, the frequency and severity of natural disasters and extreme weather events have been increasing due to climate change. As a result, these extreme weather events have had, OR are having, a greater effect on communities and infrastructure than before. Although there are ways of constructing buildings to mitigate damage and economic loss from natural disasters, many jurisdictions have not adopted these standards or have not implemented them in all respects. Following natural disasters, state and local governments often respond by updating their building codes to provide some level of resiliency for the next natural disaster. However, the codes often only require new buildings to meet these construction standards. Pre-existing buildings are often left untouched, even though in many cases they could be retrofitted to be more resistant to natural hazards as well. This especially impacts low-income and minority communities, as they are already more affected by natural disasters and often do not have the capability to move out of high-risk areas and into buildings that fit the new, resilient standards. This Note discusses the policy and legislative changes that can be made in order to require pre-existing buildings to meet the updated building code standards and become hazard-resistant.