Stuck in the Middle: The Challenges of Local Government Administration of Post-Hurricane Disaster Mitigation

Abstract

The use of post-disaster mitigation strategies such as buyouts and home elevations as climate change adaptation and risk reduction strategies has become increasingly common. Little research to-date, however, has examined the experience of local administrators of these programs, despite the critical role they play as on-the-ground implementers. We interviewed 18 county and town officials from North Carolina who administered the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) following Hurricane Matthew in 2016. Our goal was to better understand the difficulties local administrators face in program implementation and the complexities of their relationship with other program stakeholders. We identified several recurring challenges facing these officials, including limited capacity; staff turnover, program delays; and a lack of flexibility, clarity, and communication. These issues make implementation challenging for administrators and strain their relationships with program participants and higher levels of government, in turn reducing program success and credibility. These results provide valuable insight into the perspective and experience of local administrators as HMGP implementers.