Hurricane Harvey: equal opportunity storm or disparate disaster

ABSTRACT: Following Hurricane Harvey, media outlets labeled it as an “equal opportunity” disaster, challenging existing research on social vulnerability which indicates marginalized groups face disproportionate risks and impacts from disasters. To assess the accuracy of this claim, we utilized regression techniques to analyze the relationship between social vulnerability indicators and FEMA-approved housing damages across five Houston-area cities. Results indicate that Hurricane Harvey had a disproportionate impact on housing damages for Black, Latinx, and mobile home residents, highlighting the need for informed policy decisions to enhance flood resilience and recovery efforts in the region.