This study,
which was initiated in 1996 with funding from the
National Science
Foundation, addresses three related
research questions:
(1) Years after their occurrence, what
longer-term
consequences do disasters have for businesses
in disaster-stricken
areas? (2) What factors are associated
with business
recovery in the aftermath of disasters? and (3)
What consequences
does heavy and concentrated damage to
business and
commercial districts have for those commercial
areas and their
communities? This project focused on Santa
Cruz County,
California, which was heavily affected by the
1989 Loma Prieta
earthquake, and South Dade County,
Florida, which
experienced severe damage from Hurricane
Andrew in 1992.
Data for the study consist of business
survey data
from both communities as well as qualitative
interview and
case study material on recovery processes in
heavily-damaged
business centers.
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