A Simulation-Based Disaster Management Framework to Analyze Housing Recovery: The Case of Hampton Roads, USA

In the aftermath of a catastrophic weather event, housing recovery and reconstruction activities are highly complex. Coordinating housing recovery activities is generally challenging because complex supply chains converge simultaneously in a highly uncertain environment. In this environment, anticipating and quantifying the extent of potential damage and determining the actions that must be taken to rebuild the housing stock may assist regions in allocating resources for reconstruction. This article presents the development of a comprehensive disaster management framework to assist decision-makers in predicting the impact of projected natural disasters on housing. This framework uses a simulation-based approach to quantify likely regional losses and generate informed scenarios that support the identification of enablers and barriers that may intervene in the reconstruction process considering local governments that moderate the rebuilding pace. We further investigate how adopting the proactive part of the framework leads to a better understanding of the disaster management process by developing a case study in the Hampton Roads Region of the USA. This complex exercise shows the intricacies of disaster preparedness for housing recovery for displaced populations.