Year: 2019
Project(s):
Relevance
Recent storm and flood events have exposed the need for resiliency in community development and housing. However, meeting the demand for expertise in wind and flood resilience has been challenging for both Gulf Sea Grant Programs and Smart Home America. A new public-private partnership model was envisioned to bridge the gap in organizational capacity and expertise while providing the ability to enhance community resilience outreach and education activities.
Response
Smart Home America and the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium developed a unique public-private partnership to combine Sea Grant science and tools with Smart Home America's ability to leverage both public and private sector partners. This partnership model has continued for three years, allowing both organizations to introduce proven science and new tools to a greater audience and enhance the understanding of wind and flood resilience methods.
Results
A shared staff position has expanded the outreach efforts of both organizations. These efforts have supported the adoption of beyond-code construction standards in nearly 80% of coastal Alabama jurisdictions and led to the adoption of enhanced floodplain management ordinances throughout the region. Sea Grant and other public and private sector partners from several states have also expressed an interest in using the model to increase community resilience to wind and flood risks.
Recap
Smart Home America, in partnership with Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, replicated a collaborative partnership model which has expanded the collective capacity of both organizations to bridge the gap between the public and private sectors and increase coastal resilience to wind and flood risks. (2019)