The Effect of Disaster Assistance on Household and Business Mitigation: Relocation and Rebuilding Decisions After Hurricanes Ike and Harvey

Research suggests that disaster assistance, because it focuses on infrastructure replacement, may encourage redevelopment in hazardous areas or compete with mitigation planning. Using mixed methods, this paper explores the effect of recovery funds on relocation and structural mitigation decisions of businesses and household recipients after Hurricanes Ike and Harvey. We found that homeowners that relocated were approved for higher loan amounts, with the opposite pattern for businesses, though damage, disaster risk, financial considerations, and community attachment all played a role in mitigation decision-making. Recovery assistance was often a facilitator rather than a catalyst in these choices, highlighting an opportunity for coordinated planning efforts.