Protective actions need regulatory support to fully defend homeowners and coastal communities, study finds
As climate change drives increasingly severe hurricanes, U.S. coastal communities are bearing the brunt of mounting losses. With regulations failing to curb the damage, homeowners have become the front line of defense — but their efforts often fall short, a recent study reveals.
Led by Tracy Kijewski-Correa, professor of engineering and global affairs at the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame, the study, published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, explored how homeowners respond in the aftermath of hurricanes when reconstruction becomes necessary. Focusing on Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana — a community still recovering from a sequence of disasters beginning with Hurricane Laura — the research introduced a new methodology to document homeowner actions, the damage they experienced and their recovery paths.
Why homeowners are key to reducing losses
“With no mandates to upgrade at-risk homes, homeowners will be responsible for adapting their properties to halt mounting climate-driven losses in the housing sector,” said Kijewski-Correa, who also serves as the director of the Pulte Institute for Global Development at the Keough School. “Unfortunately, we have no idea what decisions households are making and why — this study created a methodology to answer those questions so we can better incentivize them to adapt before the next storm.”
Since 1980, U.S. losses from tropical cyclones have reached $1.3 trillion, exposing how underprepared the country remains in addressing weather and climate disasters. This growing vulnerability is compounded by rapid population growth in coastal areas and outdated or inconsistent building codes.
Gaps in protection and future risks
Using indices developed for the study, researchers measured protection levels for a number of critical home components at key points: at the time of purchase, pre-disaster and after post-disaster repairs, as well as future intended upgrades.
The study found that, on average, homeowners took proactive steps to protect their properties before the hurricane, enhanced those protections after the storm and expressed intentions to continue investing in resilience. Roofs, windows and other external components were the primary focus of these improvements. However, the typical home achieved only about half the measures needed to withstand future storms effectively.
Visible damage in neighborhoods and the experiences of family and friends also influenced voluntary homeowner decisions to invest in protective measures. Motivated by observing widespread destruction across the community, even homeowners who escaped damage in Hurricane Laura expressed intentions to invest in resilience.
Policy and incentives: closing the protection gap
“Homeowners are making efforts to ‘build back better’ — strengthening roofs, adding hurricane clips or straps and replacing standard windows with impact-rated alternatives,” said Kijewski-Correa. “Unfortunately, most investments still leave homes only moderately protected against future hurricanes.”
The study’s methodology, which includes a flexible survey tool and evaluation methods to analyze homeowner decisions, provides a framework for future research. Next steps include identifying the factors that most effectively motivate homeowners to adopt comprehensive protections.
“Policies need to incentivize comprehensive, whole-house upgrades while ensuring clear messaging about the importance of these measures,” Kijewski-Correa said. “We also need to address barriers such as affordability and awareness, which often prevent households from taking action.”
Study co-authors include civil engineering Ph.D. student Rachel Hamburger and Debra Javeline, professor of political science, both from the University of Notre Dame. The research is funded through a National Science Foundation grant under the Strengthening American Infrastructure program.
Originally published by keough.nd.edu on Jan. 15.
atContact: Tracy DeStazio, associate director of media relations, 574-631-9958 or tdestazi@nd.edu
Contact: Jessica Sieff, associate director of media relations, 574-631-3933, jsieff@nd.edu
Latest ND NewsWire
- Notre Dame named America’s Best Large Employer by ForbesForbes has named the University of Notre Dame as America’s Best Large Employer for the first time, leading 700 other organizations with at least 5,000 employees. Notre Dame has appeared on the Best Large Employer list six times, most recently as the 20th-ranked employer and top educational…
- University of Notre Dame wins award for excellence in campus internationalizationIn recognition of its outstanding commitment to internationalization both on campus and across the globe, the University of Notre Dame has been selected to receive the 2025 Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization. Named for the late Sen. Paul Simon, a longtime proponent of international education, the award is given by NAFSA: Association of International Educators to honor excellence in integrating international education throughout all facets of university and college campuses.
- ND Ethics Week explores business and sustainabilityThe annual Ethics Week series, sponsored by the Mendoza College of Business, brings in experts from diverse perspectives to explore current ethics-related issues.
- Notre Dame partners with community organizations for Walk the Walk Week service projectNearly 300 students from the University of Notre Dame took over Duncan Student Center on Feb. 1 to sort through thousands of donated items to create winter and personal care kits for this year’s Walk the Walk Week service project.
- Physicist Laura Fields granted a Presidential Early Career AwardLaura Fields, an associate professor in the Department of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Notre Dame, received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for her research studying the properties of fundamental particles called neutrinos.
- Notre Dame celebrates Black History MonthBlack History Month, observed annually in the United States during the month of February, provides an opportunity to reflect on the achievements, experiences and heritage of Black Americans. The University of Notre Dame will celebrate Black History Month with a variety of activities and resources.