Donate Today

Mercatus on Policy: A Policy Maker's Guide to Effective Disaster Preparedness and Response

This paper argues that government involvement in the rebuilding process, far from alleviating the problems of uncertainty, exacerbates them.  In order for government policy to be effective in this

In the almost three years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast region of the United States, scholars, policy makers, and concerned citizens have been working to understand what exactly went wrong in the response to the event and how better to prepare for future natural disasters. Post-Katrina New Orleans presents a unique opportunity to study how and how not to undertake the rebuilding of a major population center after such a catastrophe. Proper study of this subject, if conducted objectively and rigorously, will not only save other communities countless dollars but will also save lives.