ABSTRACT
Disaster losses due to urbanization in hazardous locations are a major problem worldwide. The spatial planning approach has been characterized as the most promising long-term solution to reducing the destructive effects of disasters. Understanding the factors that lead to enactment and implementation of strong spatial planning aimed at improving community resilience to threats is limited, because scientific disciplines use different concepts and languages to explain pro-active planning and action. Without a common framework to organize findings, isolated knowledge does not cumulate. Until recently, accepted theory has assumed that comprehensive spatial planning is neither practically feasible nor politically viable. Research in multiple disciplines, however, has found that some communities enact and implement a coordinated network of strong plans aimed at vulnerability reduction, whereas most communities do not. A general framework is used to identify factors that affect the likelihood community enactment of strong planning regimes to achieve more resilient places.
