Community development block grant disbursements after disasters: Assessing social vulnerability

Abstract

This research observed the differences among various State distributions of CDBG funds for recovery efforts following the 2005 and 2008 hurricane seasons. The distribution of CDBG funds was also used to assess if any disparities exist among certain socially vulnerable populations. Testing the socio-political ecology theory, this research used multiple regression analysis to estimate the affects of the social vulnerability on CDBG disbursement after disaster. The type of activities funding with the CDBG disbursements were separated into five groups; administration, economic development, housing, infrastructure, and public facilities. The results show that certain socially vulnerable factors were highly correlated with the amount of funding from the CDBG program at the county level. The findings suggest that the socio-political ecology theory may not be the sole theory accountable for the variation in CDBG funds during each hurricane season.