Uncovering Resiliency and Equity in Disaster Recovery

The 2020 Wildfires across Oregon have had devastating and long-lasting impacts on the people displaced and lives interrupted. Many of the people who lost homes and property in the wildfires were of modest economic means, had endured prior life traumas, and/or have been long underserved and unengaged by government institutions. The disasters also present planners with a window to understanding the challenges, systemic barriers, and opportunities for a more resilient and equitable community rebuilding.​ ​The Oregon APA Chapter’s Community Assistance Planning Program (CAPP) provided pro bono planning services to Lane and Lincoln Counties to explore a better way forward for disaster recovery. This webinar will highlight new planning methods that OAPA CAPP teams have undertaken in partnership with the counties’ leadership, disaster recovery coordinators, and public health and planning professionals. The panel will share lessons learned – the good and the unsuccessful – in trying to serve displaced survivors who have a historic distrust of systems, the structural challenges with meeting the needs of often-overlooked community members, and glimmers of hope for a resilient and equitable recovery.