Resident perceptions of the short- and long-term impacts of Hurricane Harvey

Abstract

Severe storms and flooding events are expected to increase in frequency and severity, with lasting economic, social, and psychological impacts on communities in post-disaster recovery. In the first mixed methods study to focus on the experiences of Houstonians during Hurricane Harvey, which resulted in unprecedented and widespread flooding and billions of dollars in damage, we conducted five focus groups from four neighborhoods almost two years after Harvey made landfall. Our purpose was to understand how residents withstood and recovered from flooding-related stressors, what the major sources of support were and what long-term issues they were still dealing with. Residents relied on their families, friends, and neighborhood networks offline and online to seek important information about the storm and coordinate rescue efforts. They turned to their friends and neighbors for help with cleaning their homes and received support and donations from church and volunteer groups, while in one neighborhood residents organized themselves and coordinated aid and clean-up activities. Contrasting with this initial surge of social support that was perceived as overwhelmingly positive, the process of applying for federal aid was confusing, and residents reported continued stress and mental health strain. The experiences of Houston residents echo those of Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy survivors, particularly when seeking federal assistance, an experience that continued to exacerbate post-disaster stress. Enhanced state and local disaster response mechanisms, as well engaged partnerships between community stakeholders, academics and policy makers have the potential to improve community resilience, particularly in the natural and industrial disaster-prone greater Houston area.

Keywords: Disaster; Federal aid; Flooding; Hurricane Harvey; Mental health; Social support.