Its Time to Pay Attention to Resiliency

What does a resilient community look like? There is a lot of talk about resilience these days in economic development, tourism, and city management circles, but what does it really mean and how does a community implement strategies that make it more resilient?

The Economic Development Administration (EDA) defines a resilient community as being “inclusive of three primary attributes: the ability to recover quickly from a shock, the ability to withstand a shock, and the ability to avoid the shock altogether.”

So what are the shocks? A shock can be sourced from just about anywhere but it shows up in the form of significant economic downturns, caused by any number of regional, national or international events. The Covid-19 pandemic is the cause of our most recent downturn and why so much attention has been pointed towards resiliency.

A specific industry might be a cause of a shock. Auto assembly dependent regional economies were devastated in the eighties by a shift in production and the lack of preparation to more fuel efficient models. With Silicon Valley tech companies seemingly flocking to Austin, Texas, is the San Francisco and San Jose metro area in for a shock and are they resilient?

Finally the climate change is affecting coastal cities and other areas of the country with devastating storms and weather events. For smaller communities it might be the loss of a major employer or a closing of a military base.

What can a community do? Surprisingly there are a number of design considerations that a community could consider to survive the shocks described above. Of course some level of diversity in all things will help a region. However making smart choices in design will help.

In Construction Digital a list of design considerations to create a resilient community includes focusing on “conserving, enhancing, and creating strong, vibrant places which are a significant component of the neighbourhood’s structure and of the community’s identity. The enhancement of a city’s identity and developing a greater sense of place, the preservation of its natural assets, landscapes, and cultural heritage together within rich and ever-evolving art and cultural offerings is essential.”

Enhancing a city’s identity and attracting people to walkable neighborhoods creates connections and identity. This also is a key component of economic development in the 21st century. While available workforce, land and buildings are necessary, attracting talent brings in new people as well. This all points to more economic development and a resilient community.

Has your community developed a resiliency plan? Does it include creating strong vibrant places? Tell us your strategy by commenting on this article or email me directly at marty@martyvanags.com