Resiliency Requires Momentum
Abby Ross, CEO, The Resiliency Company
When it comes to adapting to change, it’s easy to do nothing. But as the shocks and stressors of the changed and changing weather are becoming more prevalent and in order to adapt, we need the opposite of “do nothing” -- we need momentum. And the time when momentum is highest is right after a disaster.
This is because in the aftermath of weather-related disasters the risk stops being theoretical and starts becoming palpable, if not inevitable. In the true American spirit of optimism, communities often say, “We will rebuild”. However, in that moment there is a danger that in the rush to be optimistic we fail to adapt to the changed and changing world.
And work is required to convert that optimism into practical momentum focused on a shared vision of a resilient community that can stand stronger in the face of increased risks.
While disasters often attract national attention, recovery is usually a local affair. Our program, Resilient Los Angeles, provided a platform for homeowners, service providers, stakeholders, and capital providers to create new relationships and workflows to bake resiliency into how homes and community infrastructure are rebuilt. Our role as an ‘independent convener with an opinion’ aided that.
How Disasters Create Momentum for Resiliency
Through our work in LA, I have seen three reasons why post-disaster communities are one of the most important places to infuse resiliency.
1. There is the will to do something different
After a disaster, the risk is no longer abstract - it's visceral and understood. Members of the community recognize that they can't just “build back to what was” and are more open to change.
One example of this in LA is the adoption of “Zone Zero”, which requires homes to have a five foot perimeter free of all flammable materials, including vegetation. While research has found that an effective Zone Zero can dramatically increase the survivability of a dwelling, it is easier to "do nothing" before a disaster and keep the landscaping you’ve invested in. But after a disaster, it's a chance to reprioritize and reimagine without sacrificing great design.
2. Capital moves
Since 2021, 1 in 10 homes in the U.S. has been damaged by a disaster each year. Homeowners collectively spend an average of $23 billion annually repairing their homes after disasters. According to research at Bloomberg Intelligence, approximately $7.7 trillion is tied to recovering from or preparing for disasters – this is the equivalent of 36% of GDP growth.
There will be investments in new homes and infrastructure, but there is no guarantee that this new physical infrastructure will be resilient to the next disaster. In fact, historically, rebuilding after a disaster has followed two guiding principles: replacing what was damaged or destroyed and rebuilding to the minimum required construction standard.
These approaches made sense when the likelihood of a similar disaster occurring again was considered low. But it no longer does because of the changed and changing weather.
We are seeing that it is easier to improve something already in motion, like an investment in rebuilding, than to create momentum where none exists, such as convincing capital to move into resilience.
This is the most cost-advantageous moment
It is likely less expensive to rebuild from the ground up to resilient standards than to retrofit existing structures, one by one. For example, in California, Headwaters Economics found that adopting the IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home Plus standards may only add up to 3% to traditional construction costs to the total cost of rebuilding. From our on-the-ground experience, this is ranging between $2,000-$30,000 depending on the builder and home. In the LA rebuild, this is the most affordable moment there will ever be to upgrade a home, especially compared to the costs of retrofitting, which is up to $100,000 to meet the same level of protection.
A critical caveat
This work is difficult. Rebuilding cannot be rushed; it moves through permitting, insurance claims, contractor capacity, and financing approvals, each dependent on different actors with their own constraints. Resilience also demands coordination across local officials, insurers, builders, lenders, homeowners, and verification systems.
And trauma shapes the timeline. Communities rebuilding after disasters are navigating both financial and emotional loss, which means progress requires more than spreadsheets. At the core of the work requires care and trust that has to be earned by serving community needs above all else.
These reflections come directly from our work in Los Angeles. If resilience is going to become the norm in America’s infrastructure, it will happen because we’ve harnessed the moments of momentum.
Abby Ross
Founder & CEO, The Resiliency Company
abby@resiliency.com