By Elizabeth Zach, RCAC staff writer

Building more affordable housing and developing strong local economies may stave off catastrophic events, according to a new study.

The report “Bounce Forward, Not Back: Leveraging Resiliency to Promote Equity,” expands on previous research demonstrating that resiliency has roots in sustainable housing and economic justice.

Published by the Joint Center for Housing Studies and NeighborWorks America, the study examines, among other events, last year’s California wildfires, and how efforts to build affordable housing might mitigate pre- and post-disaster conditions.

Caroline Lauer, an urban planning student at Harvard’s Graduate School of Design who was a 2017 Edward M. Gramlich Fellow in Community and Economic Development, authored the paper and observed how a community’s capacity to respond to both anticipated and unforeseen problems can lessen the impact of potential disasters.

To access the study, go here: http://jchs.harvard.edu/research/publications/bounce-forward-not-back-leveraging-resiliency-promote-equity