Building Resilient Communities – Climate proof residential property

Across the nation, heatwaves, droughts and floods have become more frequent and more severe, increasing risks to people, homes and infrastructure. Between 2011 and 2013, the U.S. experienced 32 weather events that each caused at least one billion dollars in damages, and two-thirds of counties nationwide had presidentially declared disasters.
Low-income communities are on the front lines of this damage, and they continue to be the most vulnerable. From the Chicago heatwave of 1995 that led to 739 deaths to Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy, these areas are often the first victims of extreme weather and the last to recover from devastation. Short-term displacement can lead to long-term homelessness, temporary business closures can lead to a neighborhood-level economic downturn, and disruption of community services can lead to an extended loss of service continuity. Each of these consequences increases public costs and compounds the health and economic challenges from which low-income communities disproportionately suffer.

Investing in at-risk communities before disaster strikes is one of the most cost-effective ways to protect residents and property while strengthening their ability to weather the severe storms ahead. Enterprise Community Partners’ Resilient Communities Initiative seeks to strengthen communities and residents so they are better prepared for, and able to respond to, extreme weather events and other emergencies.

In our session, we will be reviewing how to future proof your residential facility. We will provide an overview of the strategies from the Enterprise Strategies for Building Resilience and how they can be apportioned to a housing facility. The course supports proficiency in the Enterprise Green Communities 2015 Criteria’s Design for Resilience points & requirements.