It is estimated that one-third to almost one-half of existing homes in America are at significant risk from natural and human-caused disasters. Those numbers are only likely to increase as we continue to expand residential development into areas that were previously considered marginally safe and not currently occupied, and as we witness the ongoing escalation of natural and man-made events that result in widespread destruction of existing domiciles, neighborhoods and communities.
Extreme weather of all kinds, rising sea levels, drought-related threats and poor decision making on the part of aspiring homeowners, developers and policy makers are certain to exacerbate the difficulties. A growing number of families will be displaced temporarily or lose their homes permanently in the coming years.
Freedom of choice is at the heart of the American dream and remains the centerpiece of our decisions of where to live. But we would be foolish to ignore the threats and the consequences of catastrophic loss. My own experience has shown that when disaster strikes and a family loses their home, they want one thing above all else: They want to return to the safety, security and stability that only the roof over their heads can provide.
We have witnessed this truth from Louisiana in the aftermath of Katrina, to the vast stretches of California and Colorado that have been obliterated by wildfires, to the flood-ravaged regions of North Carolina to Texas, and too many other locales to list here. Their brains may be telling them to look for other options, to seek less-threatening locations and focus on a more sustainable physical structure. They may genuinely desire to build “better,” but their hearts are aching to see things “get back to the way they were” before they lost everything and that becomes their primary priority.
That’s where builders enter the discussion. I am suggesting that small builders throughout the country are essential to having any real hopes of recovery and rebuilding in worst-case scenarios. There are local and regional builders who have the skill, the experience, the local knowledge, the empathy and the can-do resolve needed when situations demand heroic responses.
The national builders provide almost half of the new home units that are constructed in the United States each year. They are essential in addressing the growing housing shortage everyone is well aware of, but they do not possess the structure or ability to respond to the needs of many disaster victims, especially those outside their existing markets. Years of preparation are required to execute the new home development model that allows them to standardize their products and streamline their processes in ways that make them profitable and successful.
The balance of the new homes built is provided by small to medium builders whose focus is generally on their communities and immediate geographic areas. Individually, they may only produce a small number of housing units. In aggregate they are equipped to make recovery and rebuilding possible in every corner of the nation, whether rural, extra-territorial or existing suburban in nature.
Their experience with local policy makers, code enforcement officials, trade contractors, and building material sources can accelerate the rebuilding process while understanding the local preferences and cultural elements that make each of their market areas unique. Additionally, they most often have existing history and relationships with appraisers, lenders, designers and the insurance sector in their markets.
As of this writing, we are simultaneously witnessing extreme drought fueling epic wildfires, massive destructive storms and crushing widespread flooding events across the continent. The demands for restoring and rebuilding homes for those who have suffered the worst will only increase in the foreseeable future.
They may operate independently, and on a modest scale, but the nation’s small builders represent one of the most important resources for our collective futures. They will respond in great numbers as unfortunate situations evolve and provide the support and relief needed to keep our citizens sheltered.