Lessons from Harvey: Crisis Informatics for Urban Resilience

REPORT : Aug. 22, 2018 GOVERNANCE | HURRICANE HARVEY

Three women being rescued by boat by two men during a flood

This report suggests that public agencies work closely with social media companies and the operators of crowdsourced sites to install plans to incorporate these systems into the disaster recovery process.

Residents, first responders and officials all turned to social media during Hurricane Harvey to impart information and make calls for assistance. This report demonstrates some of the work that could be done with this type of information. It suggests that public agencies work closely with social media companies to install plans to incorporate these systems into the disaster-recovery process.

Social media sites operate as critical emergency communication venues during crises, telling us where people are located during a disaster, where they are moving and in some cases where they are checking in as “safe.” This report looks at how social media, in particular, Twitter, has been used to evaluate the spatial and temporal aspects of disaster and emergency situations, including terrorist attacks, earthquakes and floods.

Photo: Boaz Guttman/Flickr

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What Twitter Can Teach Us About Hurricane Harvey
RESEARCH :  Aug. 21, 2018

Platforms like Twitter can capture immediate, on-the-ground needs in an unfolding disaster and can help fill gaps in response.

GOVERNANCE | HURRICANE HARVEY
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One Year Later: What We've Learned Since Harvey
RESEARCH :  Aug. 19, 2018

From assessing need to evaluating mitigation techniques, a number of good studies have advanced the region's flooding and resiliency knowledge but more is needed.

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Rethinking Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Funding in the Wake of Hurricane Harvey
Jul. 18, 2018

This research brief provides context about how the recovery process is unfolding in the Hurricane Harvey-affected region and how the area can prevent a similar situation from happening again.

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Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund Needs Assessment: Phase One
Nov. 13, 2017

The first phase of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s needs assessment work on behalf of the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

DEMOGRAPHICS | HURRICANE HARVEY | URBAN DISPARITY
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Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund Needs Assessment: Phase Two
Jan. 22, 2018

The second phase of the Kinder Institute for Urban Research’s needs assessment work on behalf of the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund.

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Case Studies in Floodplain Buyouts: Looking to Best Practices to Drive the Conversation in the Houston Region
Feb. 5, 2018

A look at best practices from other jurisdictions engaged in the hazard mitigation strategy of strategic property buyouts.

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Funding Primer: Harvey Relief and Recovery
Nov. 29, 2017

This report seeks to inform decision makers about the recovery funding process and potential gaps.

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