In the Aftermath of the Storm: Administrative Burden in Disaster Recovery

Abstract

As climate change intensifies, analyzing the barriers to disaster recovery faced by marginalized communities is increasingly important. Using in-depth interviews from the Understanding Communities of Deep Disadvantage project, a community-level investigation of disadvantage in the United States, this study examines participant experiences with the federal disaster recovery system in the wake of Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. Our analysis reveals how administrative burden, high rejection rates for key disaster recovery programs, and the slow pace of aid ignited a feedback loop that depressed application rates for disaster aid in a community with extreme need.