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
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![An empty lot with a sign]()
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