ABSTRACT
Local governments have the primary role of planning and managing community recovery. Although there has been an increase in both pre- and post-disaster recovery planning by U.S. cities, there are not yet established triggers, mandates, or standards for recovery planning during either phase. The National Disaster Recovery Framework, introduced in 2011, defines the federal government’s management structure for recovery and outlines a set of core principles and capabilities to support disaster recovery. State and local pre-disaster recovery planning efforts underway across the country are incorporating the core principles, management structure, and core capabilities defined in the national framework. The Federal Emergency Management Agency’s provision of federally funded technical assistance for post-disaster planning in communities that receive PDDs, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development action planning requirements for Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery funds awarded through disaster-specific Congressional appropriations are two important triggers for an increase in post-disaster recovery planning in recent years. Although many examples of pre- and post-disaster recovery plans are now available, assessments of the quality and content of local recovery planning processes and planning content have only received limited attention to date. The post-disaster compression of decisions and activities, both in time and space, creates some unique conditions that distinguish recovery planning from normal city planning activities and should be carefully considered in recovery policy development and local recovery plan design and guidance, both pre- and post-disaster. More systematic studies of recovery plans, processes, key actors, and institutions are also needed to advance long-term recovery policy, planning, and implementation.
