CONCLUSION

Hazard events caused by extreme weather events and other large-scale emergencies continue to devastate communities in the United States. As stated in numerous studies, while nature does not discriminate, the reality is that decades of inadequate adoption and enforcement of codes and standards and discriminatory policy and practices have resulted in low-income communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color bearing a disproportionate share of the social, economic, health, and environmental burdens caused by extreme weather and other natural disasters (Cutter et al., 2008; Cutter and Finch, 2008; Belkhir and Charlemaine, 2007). In addition, the current thinking about community resilience fails to account for the fact that many communities often lack the resources to engage in risk reduction, mitigation, and planning, and disadvantaged communities lack even more. There are never enough funds to do the level of resilience planning that is desired, but communities can address their needs incrementally, similar to all other community needs. To reduce the equity gap in community resilience, efforts to enhance community resilience and adaptability must include funds and resources for planning and construction, as well as rebalancing public infrastructure investments and addressing fundamental social inequalities.

Recognizing the importance of directing investments in infrastructure to opportunities that will increase community resilience and reduce the equity gap that affects disadvantaged communities, the Committee on Hazard Mitigation and Resilience Applied Research Topics focused on identifying applied research needs and opportunities to better create and capitalize on such opportunities. To inform this work, the committee organized a 1-day workshop to gather information and applied research topic insights from researchers, advocates, and policy makers knowledgeable about resilient and equitable infrastructure. The workshop’s panels addressed the following topics:

• Equitable community development
• Equitable physical infrastructure
• Deep dive: resilience hubs
• Deep dive: housing
• Deep dive: transportation

Based on the presentations, examples, and research opportunities discussed in this workshop, the committee identified three applied research priorities with several underlying topics regarding equitable and resilient infrastructure investments:

1. Partnerships for equitable infrastructure development
   • Partnerships for knowledge transfer and promoting action research
   • Building trust with the community to enable productive and equitable community participation
2. Systemic change toward resilient and equitable infrastructure investment
   • Catalyzing and supporting systemic change in the institutions

2. • Developing effective community resilience hubs
   • Engaging in community resilience planning
   • Incorporating integrated multi-benefit solutions
   • Interdependence of the built and natural environments
   • Identifying the role of minimum code requirements
3. Innovations in economic and financial analysis
   • Innovative financing for equitable infrastructure development
   • Modifying benefit-cost analysis

This report identifies activities in each of the applied research topics that are indicated. It also includes specific questions to consider when undertaking this research. The committee took a broad view of applied research and those involved in that research, ranging from researchers in academia to small community groups exploring and testing approaches for addressing climate impacts. The three primary applied research topics the committee identified frame three important components of resilient and equitable infrastructure investments. Tying the three together is the fact that equitable, inclusive, and trusted processes and leaders are essential for accepted and sustainable decisions, which are particularly important for challenges such as climate impacts that do not have short-term solutions.

The workshop presentations and discussions demonstrated an existing base in the academic literature, as well as experience in resilient and equitable infrastructure investment, and they presented important lessons from work developing resilience hubs and dealing with housing needs and transportation infrastructure and services. Academic and applied research is needed to collect and expand this knowledge to better inform equitable and resilient infrastructure investments and motivate further local action on resilience.

The committee hopes to inspire researchers and communities with this report. Research findings from these topics should bolster and extend attention and activities that strengthen capacities for community resilience through inclusive work at the local, regional, national, and global levels for robust and equitable action.