Mitigation Of Hurricane Losses: Federal, State And Local Programs

As a peninsula jutting into warm tropical seas, Florida is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes. There are numerous local, state and federal programs with standards for the siting, design and construction of new development. Properly implemented and enforced, these will reduce the risk of hurricane damage in new development; a more difficult problem is what to do about existing development that does not meet newer standards. This report assesses the nature of the hurricane threat, opportunities for mitigation of damage, and analyzes the federal and state programs that affect hurricane mitigation. Several local approaches in Florida are described. Recommendations are offered for local governments on hurricane mitigation.