The article from Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies underscores how disaster recovery is no longer a peripheral concern in home repair—it is now a major driver of remodeling and improvement spending across the U.S. In 2022-23, about 6% of all home improvement spending was for damage repairs caused by climate and weather disasters (hurricanes, wildfires, flooding, etc.), up from under 4% two decades ago. This rising share reflects more frequent and more severe disasters: in recent years, the number of billion-dollar disaster events has jumped sharply.

Homeowners are spending far more: average recovery costs per home climbed (for disaster damages) from about $17,900 (inflation-adjusted) two decades ago to $22,100 in 2023. The timing, geography, and scale of disaster events also shape repair demand: after big disasters, local markets tend to see elevated repair/remodeling activity for years. Examples: Northeast spending spiked after Hurricane Sandy; the South saw massive outlays after Harvey & Irma.

The article also emphasizes mitigation (resilience) work—strengthening homes against future disasters—is increasingly urgent. Efforts like reinforcing roofs, elevating mechanical equipment, using non-combustible materials are becoming more important. But many homeowners struggle to afford these costs. A large share of disaster losses remains uninsured or underinsured, and low- and moderate-income households are especially vulnerable.

Finally, policy shifts matter: federal programs like FEMA’s recovery assistance and mitigation grant funding are critical, but recent changes (e.g. proposed cuts to disaster declarations, cancellation of some mitigation funding) threaten the ability of many households to recover and prepare for future events.

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