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The Role of Social Entrepreneurship in Post-Disaster Recovery Working Papers Emily Chamlee-Wright, Virgil Storr July 11, 2008 This paper examines the role of the social entrepreneur in post-Katrina recovery and present implications for policy.

Can New Orleans Benefit from Market-based Approaches for Flood Protection? Working Papers Peter Gordon, Richard Little July 2, 2008 This paper suggests some options that would provide decision-makers at each step in the process of flood protection, from Congress to the individual homeowner, with incentives to base decisions on risk and not continue subsidizing behavior that ignores risk.

Mercatus on Policy - Hosting a Disaster Mercatus On Policy Emily Chamlee-Wright, Daniel Rothschild July 1, 2008 Professor Emily Chamlee-Wright and Associate Director Daniel Rothschild examine policies that can prepare cities to host an evacuee population.

Louisiana’s Performance in the New Knowledge Economy Working Papers Jody Lipford, Bruce Yandle June 13, 2008 This paper makes the argument that Louisiana has economic potential, but improvement will require the state to embrace fully the knowledge economy of the 21st century, a step the state as a whole has not taken, despite the progress of its metropolitan areas.

A Policy Maker's Guide to Effective Disaster Preparedness and Response Mercatus On Policy May 29, 2008 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 an 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.

Road Home Mercatus Policy Series, Policy Comments Eileen Norcross, Anthony Skriba May 16, 2008 Louisiana's Road Home Program attempted to micromanage the decisions of potential returnees after Hurricane Katrina. In doing so program designers hoped to better decide where and how returnees would resettle, but these policies have actually resulted in much less control over the process. The study finds that in post-disaster situations it is often better to reduce overt controls since there are strong benefits from speed and clear eligibility criteria as residents try to determine how to rebuild their lives amid uncertainty.

Insurance and Societal Vulnerability to Hurricanes Working Papers Daniel Sutter April 7, 2008 In this paper, Professor Sutter analyzes the sources of growing hurricane vulnerability in U.S. Atlantic and Gulf counties since 1950. The analysis specifically focuses on policy interventions in insurance markets, or states with 'hurricane pool' residual market mechanisms. He concludes that there is a significant role for insurance subsidies as driving coastal population growth in hurricane-prone areas.

The Market for Hurricane Mitigation Working Papers Daniel Sutter April 3, 2008 In this paper, Professor Sutter explores how regulations designed to improve hurricane mitigation taken against catastrophes interact with decision making behavior among residents, and may actually reduce the overall amount of protection taken against disasters.He further argues that a different regulatory regime that would better allow market incentives to work may actually improve the quality of disaster mitigation throughout dangerous areas.

Quality Assurance by the Public Sector Working Papers Daniel Sutter April 1, 2008 Building codes have been stressed as a measure to reduce vulnerability to hurricanes and other natural hazards. Almost all U.S. states have adopted a building code, but building codes do not enforce themselves. In this paper Professor Sutter explores the determinants of building code enforcement across states using ratings from the Insurance Services Office.

Making Hurricane Response More Effective Mercatus Policy Series, Policy Comments Steven Horwitz March 19, 2008 In this policy comment Professor Horwitz compares the relative effectiveness of Wal-Mart, the US Coast Guard, and FEMA in the hours and days after Katrina made landfall and pulls out policy implications about how to better engage the public and private sectors after future disasters.

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