Mitigation Lessons

Funded by Oxfam America, this report includes a description of wind and flood mitigation needs and lessons learned from the evaluation of seven relevant homeowner assistance mitigation programs. 

The geographic focus is the Mississippi Gulf Coast; however, programs from other states are included and lessons learned from all of the evaluated programs should be useful to coastal communities in general. Responses to wind and flood risks are rapidly changing and repeated losses throughout the Southeast and increased insurance costs are leading to changes in both risks. The changes in wind risk management are encouraging and are leading to innovation. The changes in flood risk management are not encouraging and are leading to increased community concerns. This report looks at the two issues separately and by evaluating best practices of the seven studied mitigation programs, attempts to suggest the next steps communities and state policy makers can make toward implementing policy, obtaining funding and designing mitigation programs.