Sara McTarnaghan

2 months ago | urban.org | Andrew Rumbach |Sara McTarnaghan |Kameron Lloyd |Aleszu Bajak

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles burned more than 11,500 homes across 60 square miles, making the fires one of the costliest disasters in US history and deepening the city’s housing crisis. State and local officials have already taken steps to speed the city’s housing recovery, but past disasters show that rebuilding can take years.

Jan 15, 2025 | urban.org | Samantha Batko |Sara McTarnaghan

The catastrophic fires in Los Angeles have forced more than 150,000 residents to evacuate and have led to the loss of or damage to approximately 12,000 structures. Hurricane-force winds and smoke and ash have disrupted daily life, caused widespread property damage, and serve as the latest depiction of the destructive effects of extreme events made worse by climate change. The immediate crisis of the fires has also compounded another ongoing human crisis in Los Angeles.

Oct 9, 2024 | urban.org | Sara McTarnaghan |Will Curran-Groome |Andrew Rumbach |Kameron Lloyd

Repeat disasters can exacerbate inequities, with people with the fewest resources often faring the worst. Hillsborough County—which includes Tampa—has the largest population among the 11 counties likely to be most affected by both hurricanes and has some of the largest groups of vulnerable residents. Nearly 12 percent of Hillsborough County residents speak limited English, roughly 4 in 10 households rent, and more than 1 in 4 households spend more than half their income on their housing.

Oct 2, 2024 | urban.org | Andrew Rumbach |Will Curran-Groome |Sara McTarnaghan |Kameron Lloyd

Our analysis shows the affected area includes substantial numbers of socially vulnerable people and households, a population more likely to be affected by an event like Helene and who may require unique resources or assistance to recover. Social vulnerability is associated with inequitable recovery generally and with inequitable housing recovery specifically.