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Hurricane Katrina and the Paradoxes of Government Disaster Policy: Bringing About Wise Governmental Decisions for Hazardous Areas

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  • Raymond J. Burby

    (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Abstract

The unprecedented losses from Hurricane Katrina can be explained by two paradoxes. The safe development paradox is that in trying to make hazardous areas safer, the federal government in fact substantially increased the potential for catastrophic property damages and economic loss. The local government paradox is that while their citizens bear the brunt of human suffering and financial loss in disasters, local officials pay insufficient attention to policies to limit vulnerability. The author demonstrates in this article that in spite of the two paradoxes, disaster losses can be blunted if local governments prepare comprehensive plans that pay attention to hazard mitigation. The federal government can take steps to increase local government commitment to planning and hazard mitigation by making relatively small adjustments to the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 and the Flood Insurance Act. To be more certain of reducing disaster losses, however, the author suggests that we need a major reorientation of the National Flood Insurance Program from insuring individuals to insuring communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Raymond J. Burby, 2006. "Hurricane Katrina and the Paradoxes of Government Disaster Policy: Bringing About Wise Governmental Decisions for Hazardous Areas," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 604(1), pages 171-191, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:604:y:2006:i:1:p:171-191
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716205284676
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter J. May, 1991. "Addressing public risks: Federal earthquake policy design," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 10(2), pages 263-285.
    2. Raymond Burby & Peter May, 1998. "IntergovernmentalEnvironmental Planning: Addressing the Commitment Conundrum," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 95-110.
    3. Howard Kunreuther, 2006. "Disaster Mitigation and Insurance: Learning from Katrina," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 604(1), pages 208-227, March.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Anna Christine Osland, 2015. "Building hazard resilience through collaboration: the role of technical partnerships in areas with hazardous liquid and natural gas transmission pipelines," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 47(5), pages 1063-1080, May.
    3. Lena Junger & Severin Hohensinner & Karin Schroll & Klaus Wagner & Walter Seher, 2022. "Land Use in Flood-Prone Areas and Its Significance for Flood Risk Management—A Case Study of Alpine Regions in Austria," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-16, March.
    4. Kyle Onda & Jordan Branham & Todd K BenDor & Nikhil Kaza & David Salvesen, 2020. "Does removal of federal subsidies discourage urban development? An evaluation of the US Coastal Barrier Resources Act," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, June.
    5. Philip R. Berke & Thomas J. Campanella, 2006. "Planning for Postdisaster Resiliency," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 604(1), pages 192-207, March.
    6. Morgan J. Breen & Abiy S. Kebede & Carola S. König, 2022. "The Safe Development Paradox in Flood Risk Management: A Critical Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-18, December.
    7. Nabil Kamel, 2012. "Social Marginalisation, Federal Assistance and Repopulation Patterns in the New Orleans Metropolitan Area following Hurricane Katrina," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(14), pages 3211-3231, November.
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