Examining factors influencing plan integration for community resilience in six US coastal cities using Hierarchical Linear Modeling

Abstract

Flooding poses a grave threat to property and the safety of human communities. Urban planning efforts and guidance can have an important influence on the vulnerability of development in hazardous areas. This study is the first to use Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to investigate the influence of local planning capacity and other contextual factors on the integration of hazard mitigation policies and building of resilience across community 'networks of plans' in six US coastal cities. Findings indicate significant variation across cities regarding plan integration to enhance resilience. Communities with larger proportions of renters and lower socioeconomic status are shown to be less likely to incorporate hazard mitigation policies in local plans, controlling for community planning capacity. We also find evidence that communities with prior hazard experience are more likely to have resilience-focused plans, even in physically vulnerable neighborhoods which, in the absence of recent hazards, are actually less likely to receive positive policy attention. The study concludes by discussing the results and offering recommendations to inform more effective approaches as practitioners reevaluate their plans and work to foster more coordinated mitigation efforts across local networks of plans.