Planning for Disaster Recovery: Planner Perspectives and Experiences

Michelle Annette Meyer, Siyu Yu, Joy Semien, Shannon Van Zandt and Shannon Burke

Journal of the American Planning Association, 2025, vol. 91, issue 2, 239-255

Abstract: Problem, research strategy, and findingsScholars and practitioners have long called for more planning leadership in community disaster recovery. Yet, how planners perceive themselves in disaster recovery, understand recovery processes, and participate in recovery activities remains relatively unknown. A survey of APA members found that improvements are needed for the planning field to meet increasing societal disaster needs. Few respondents have participated in pre- or postdisaster recovery planning or see themselves as leaders in recovery. Pre- and postdisaster recovery plans lack broad integration of planning tools that could improve resilience and speed disaster recovery.Takeaway for practiceClarifying planners’ potential roles in disaster recovery and how to use planning tools for recovery could help planners undertake enhanced proactive efforts and effective disaster recovery leadership positions that in turn foster resilience in their communities. The next generation of planners’ education and training should include increased emphasis on disaster recovery and encouragement of specialization in hazard planning. This study highlights needed topics for this education and training, especially with respect to housing, funding, and implementation of planning tools in recovery. Our baseline data on planner recovery knowledge and experience will allow the field to assess its expertise and capacity to meet the challenges facing communities under a continually changing climate.

Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/01944363.2024.2367031 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:rjpaxx:v:91:y:2025:i:2:p:239-255

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/rjpa20

DOI: 10.1080/01944363.2024.2367031

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of the American Planning Association is currently edited by Sandi Rosenbloom

More articles in Journal of the American Planning Association from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().