Perspective on post-disaster reconstruction: Bans on Rebuilding in Disaster-Prone Areas Ignore Homeowners Preferences – Raising Costs Works Better
Recovery Diva
Long-Term Recovery from Disasters
Perspective on post-disaster reconstruction: Bans on Rebuilding in Disaster-Prone Areas Ignore Homeowners Preferences – Raising Costs Works Better
Recovery Diva 
In fact, we just can no longer afford the costs of these disasters, even if it means reducing choices of where people can live — such as in the COBRA zones.
Another alternative would offer incentives to choose lower-risk zones, as done in the Tampa post-disaster mitigation plan.
This perspective echoes what I remember of Gilbert White’s basic philosophy, which was (as I recall) to assign the full economic, social, and environmental costs to those who choose to inhabit risk zones. He included a merciful escape clause to help those who could not help themselves — and therein lies the rub.
No matter what we do, the burden falls heaviest on the needy, who often have scant choices and are relegated to live in less attractive, more risky areas.