Housing type matters for pace of recovery: Evidence from Hurricane Ike

This research examines the long-term recovery trajectories after Hurricane Ike (2008) in Galveston, Texas using parcel-level data for multifamily, single-family, and duplexes over an eight-year period. In the literature, there is relative consensus on how housing damage is shaped by pre-impact conditions at household and neighborhood levels. However, systematic longitudinal studies that compare the recovery trajectories of different types of housing are rare.

Overall, the paper found that recovery trajectories differed significantly across housing types. Multifamily housing and duplex homes recover more slowly compared to single-family houses after controlling for damage and socioeconomic characteristics of neighborhoods. These findings substantiate conclusions of previous research and call for disaster recovery assistance programs targeting recovery disparities among residential types to better ensure broad-based housing recovery.