Media Contact:
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Mercatus Center at George Mason University
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Email: cconko@gmu.edu
Mercatus on Policy - Disastrous Uncertainty
How government disaster policy undermines community rebound
Emily Chamlee-Wright, Daniel Rothschild
January 24, 2008
Policy mistakes can have serious effects on post-disaster rebuilding efforts as evidenced by recovery after the 2005 hurricanes. Policy makers must understand what government assistance can and cannot do, why individuals and communities with a stake in the outcomes are best-situated to lead their own recoveries, and how to craft policy responses in a way that minimizes interference with rebuilding efforts - what we call "signal noise."
