HIGHLIGHTS
- Extreme weather and natural disasters can have devastating effects on all communities, with low- and moderate-income communities at increased risk.
- HUD and Abt developed the HUD Community Resilience Toolkit and Resilience Implementation Guides to help communities use HUD funds to increase resilience.
- The Toolkit has been published and multiple guides have been released.
PROJECT
Resilience Products Phase 3 (and Phase 4)
The Challenge
Extreme weather events and natural disasters pose challenges to communities across the United States, and Americans are already feeling their effects. While these hazards impact all communities, low- and moderate-income areas are often at greater risk because of their location, infrastructure, and ability to recover. Poorly maintained housing and weak local infrastructure can further magnify the consequences. Working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an interdisciplinary Abt team developed tools to strengthen local communities’ ability to withstand and recover from these challenges.
The Approach
The HUD Community Resilience Toolkit is a user-friendly guide to help recipients of HUD Community Planning and Development (CPD) funds identify opportunities to use their funding to enhance community resilience to the impacts of environmental hazards. The toolkit is divided into six sections, each related to a specific hazard, such as sea level rise, inland flooding, or wildfire. Each section provides an overview of the hazard and risk factors, as well as suggestions for resilience actions that may be eligible for funding under CPD programs. Additionally, the toolkit includes a financing section with other funding opportunities to support resilience projects.
The Results
To date, Abt’s released tools to help build community resilience include:
Guides & Videos:
- Resilient Transportation and Mobility Solutions
- Nature-based Solutions | Nature-based Solutions Webinar Video
- Community Resilience Education and Outreach | Education and Outreach Webinar Video
- Cool Roofs: Mitigating Extreme Heat | Cool Roofs Webinar Video
- Resilient Public Facilities | Resilient Public Facilities Webinar Video
- Single-Family Retrofits | Single-Family Webinar Video
- Community Driven Relocation