Inside the chaotic, lucrative world of disaster recovery
The Disaster Economy
EDITOR’S NOTE
From floods in Texas to wildfires in Los Angeles to back-to-back hurricanes ripping through the Southeast, extreme weather has become a regular part of American life. People across the country are losing their homes, their communities, and their lives at a rapid clip as rising global temperatures fuel more severe and frequent natural disasters.
In the aftermath of these tragedies, another story often unfolds — one of predatory contractors, fraudulent cleanup crews, price gouging, and billion-dollar firms profiting from the pain of disaster. Residents must navigate a complex and sometimes exploitative system while grieving what they’ve lost. Disaster recovery and rebuilding now costs communities tens of billions of dollars a year.
In our new series, The Disaster Economy, Grist exposes the systems that turn recovery into a marketplace — and gives readers like you the tools to navigate and challenge them.
Katherine Bagley
Editor-in-Chief, Grist
Featured
How Vermont lost track of millions in FEMA flood recovery funds
As the federal government pushes more disaster recovery responsibilities onto states, they are “sitting ducks” for contractors.
All stories
-
![Collage of aerial view of Hurricane Helene damage in North Carolina, Trump and Franklin Graham, people praying with their arms raised, Trump's GoFundMe page, and a dollar bill]()
![Collage of aerial view of Hurricane Helene damage in North Carolina, Trump and Franklin Graham, people praying with their arms raised, Trump's GoFundMe page, and a dollar bill]()
Trump raised $8 million for Hurricane Helene survivors. Where did it all go?
The presidential campaign bad-mouthed FEMA while using crowdfunding to donate to evangelical nonprofits.
-
![Collage of a worker wearing a hazmat suit cleaning up after wildfire, a worker repairing a power line, and a firefighter standing in a field]()
![Collage of a worker wearing a hazmat suit cleaning up after wildfire, a worker repairing a power line, and a firefighter standing in a field]()
The people behind America’s disaster recovery
From cleanup crews to powerline techs, these are the workers called in after catastrophe.
-
![digital collage of photo of damaged house, man looking at bills and covering his mouth, with red jagged cutouts showing invoice details on top]()
![digital collage of photo of damaged house, man looking at bills and covering his mouth, with red jagged cutouts showing invoice details on top]()
First came the wildfire. Then came the scams.
As extreme weather becomes more frequent, so too have post-disaster contractor scams like excessive billing and shoddy repairs.
-
![The Disaster Economy]()
![The Disaster Economy]()
Scams are rampant after natural disasters. Here’s how to protect yourself.
To ensure you're working with reliable and trustworthy contractors, ask these questions first.
-
![]()
![]()
Your home has a 1 in 4 chance of being at severe risk from extreme weather
Here's what that means for your insurance policy.
-
![Collage of Altadena after the Eaton Fire, man holding a clipboard, and a snippet of a dollar bill]()
![Collage of Altadena after the Eaton Fire, man holding a clipboard, and a snippet of a dollar bill]()
Disasters destroyed their homes. Then the real estate ‘vultures’ swooped in.
“We buy homes” companies are procuring disaster-damaged properties for cheap. Survivors say they're taking advantage of tragedy.
-
![A man views the removal of debris in a storm-damaged neighborhood]()
![A man views the removal of debris in a storm-damaged neighborhood]()
Clearing debris after a storm is big business. For some communities, it’s also a burden.
How the necessary work of cleaning up can make an even bigger mess.
-
![A resident sits on a wall of a collapsed house damaged by widespread flooding near Valencia, Spain in November 2024.]()
![A resident sits on a wall of a collapsed house damaged by widespread flooding near Valencia, Spain in November 2024.]()
A look at the growing ‘disaster economy’ turning crisis into cash
Disasters are big business. These charts show just how big.
-
![]()
![]()
Homeowners affected by the 2023 Maui wildfires: Here’s how to keep and rebuild your home
Hereʻs a list of resources to get funding and help to save and rebuild your house.
-
![A couple looks at the charred remains of their home burned in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, January 9, 2025. Massive wildfires that engulfed whole neighborhoods and displaced thousands in Los Angeles remained totally uncontained January 9, 2025, authorities said, as US National Guard soldiers readied to hit the streets to help quell disorder. Swaths of the United States' second-largest city lay in ruins, with smoke blanketing the sky and an acrid smell pervading almost every building.]()
![A couple looks at the charred remains of their home burned in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, January 9, 2025. Massive wildfires that engulfed whole neighborhoods and displaced thousands in Los Angeles remained totally uncontained January 9, 2025, authorities said, as US National Guard soldiers readied to hit the streets to help quell disorder. Swaths of the United States' second-largest city lay in ruins, with smoke blanketing the sky and an acrid smell pervading almost every building.]()
Illegal price-gouging is rampant after disasters. Can it be stopped?
Rents jumped 20 percent after this year’s Los Angeles wildfires, forcing displaced residents to scramble for housing in an already-tough market.
