But the question raises the point that even if you do plan for it, that doesn’t mean the plan is going to be implemented. A lot of plans are built on sound science and derived from extensive community outreach, but then just end up sitting on the proverbial shelf. There needs to be the political will to implement these kinds of plans.
What are some potential solutions?
I’ve been doing a lot of research and collaboration around promoting green infrastructure, which is basically investment in more plant life in the urban landscape. It can make a place more resilient to different types of threats.
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And mark my words, New Bedford will eventually be flattened again by a hurricane, as will basically every coastal community in Massachusetts. But that risk is considered by most to be relatively low.
So why would you continue building? Why would people live in a place that is earthquake prone? Part of the reason is because even if that danger is remembered—which usually it’s not—it’s outweighed by all of the other amenities that might be offered, whether it’s views, access to the water, proximity to jobs, and especially after a big disaster, low land values.
I think that in Los Angeles, the fire risk certainly has been elevated, but relative to the advantages of being in one of the great metropolises in the world, people have made that calculation to live there.
I think that city authorities can make some improvements to local policies to try and reduce some of these risks. The new town approach is part of the answer, to hardwire water features, strategic vegetation, and green infrastructure into land development plans for high-risk environments.
Tufts Now spoke with Hollander to learn more about how urban planning can affect responses to natural disasters, and what keeps people living in danger zones.
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People moving there are all making risk calculations, and they think the reward is higher than the potential cost.
