Poorest Communities Are Least Resilient to Weather Extremes

As extreme weather events likely connected to the planet's warming climate become increasingly common, low-income communities are positioned to suffer the worst consequences during the aftermath of natural disasters, write the authors of a report from the Center for American Progress called One Storm Shy of Despair.

"These communities are simply more vulnerable and much more at risk to the impacts of climate change," Cathleen Kelly, a senior fellow at CAP and one of the report's authors, said of the difficulties residents in poorer neighborhoods face after natural disasters.  "A family already struggling financially might just be completely derailed."

Following an extreme event, such as a hurricane or a tornado, the costs and conditions that residents in lower-income communities would likely face, Kelly said, would probably be more detrimental than those that would be present in wealthier areas.

A lack of funding to complete basic repairs, fix stalled elevators, run air conditioners and pay for the electric bill to keep food refrigerated would all be significant hurdles for low-income tenants to overcome in such a situation.  Kelly added that low-income communities are often close to toxic waste sites.

Poorest Communities Are Least Resilient to Weather Extremes