Recovery and Reconstruction Plan-City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Organization

In 1987 the City of Los Angeles Emergency Operations Organization (EOO) launched an innovative process of planning for post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. The Mayor and Director of the EOO brought together representatives from academic fields and key outside agencies with staff of various City departments into functional working groups to confront the issues. This multi-agency team approach is the cornerstone of the planning process and ensures a Citywide perspective in the complexities of post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction planning.

The draft Recovery and Reconstruction Plan is based on the premise that successful recovery and reconstruction is dependent on systematic pre-earthquake planning for the restoration of services, housing and economic vitality. The Plan therefore deals with both the pre-event and post-event periods and serves as a checklist for Departments. Each action program is left to the discretion of the lead Department and programs appropriate to the event are implemented. The Plan’s policies and programs will be continually refined as the City learns about “what works” through studying the recovery process of disaster- impacted communities and conducting recovery training exercises.

Over three-quarters of the action items included in the Plan are pre-event, such as structural and nonstructural mitigation projects and programs, identification of temporary trash disposal sites, and analysis and assessment of various economic recovery strategies