CHAS Fellow Kate Cagney and colleagues examine the importance of social infrastructure (as opposed to physical infrastructure) in community recovery efforts following natural disasters such as the 2012 hurricane known as Superstorm Sandy. Their research connects social cohesion with perceived preparedness and confidence in recovery. Interestingly, the strength of the connection to confidence in recovery specifically seems to vary by neighborhood socioeconomic status and the severity of storm impact. Researchers speculated that perceived preparedness may be more contingent on community members coming together while recovery was influenced by a mix of various social, economic, and political resources.
