Capital Assets and Rural Resilience: An Analysis of Texas Communities Impacted by Hurricane Harvey

Abstract

Abstract Past studies have consistently shown that rural communities are less resilient to disasters than their urban counterparts. However, the specific factors associated with low resilience have not been sufficiently explored. This study seeks to advance our understanding of rural resilience by evaluating disaster recovery from a capitals perspective, focusing on the individual and collective resources that support adaptation to disturbance. Using data from 108 resident interviews in four Texas municipalities affected by Hurricane Harvey, rural and urban capital asset losses and gains are analyzed using a mixed-methods approach. The findings indicate that rural communities have greater physical capital losses, of housing in particular, while urban communities have greater institutional capital losses. Social capital gains were prevalent in all cases but highest in the rural communities. These findings have implications for targeting capacity-building efforts in rural communities to more effectively support disaster recovery and resilience.