1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,640 Hey everyone and welcome back for another deep dive. 2 00:00:02,640 --> 00:00:05,320 You know, it's kind of crazy how a hurricane, 3 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:06,900 something so destructive, 4 00:00:06,900 --> 00:00:11,900 can also shine a light on just how unequal things are, right? 5 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:13,760 Yeah, it's true. 6 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,280 After a big storm, it's like all the differences 7 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:18,220 in our communities, especially with housing, 8 00:00:18,220 --> 00:00:20,160 become impossible to ignore. 9 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:22,320 Totally, and that's exactly what we're gonna be 10 00:00:22,320 --> 00:00:23,160 digging into today. 11 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,240 We've got this case study, Hunter's Point, Florida, 12 00:00:26,240 --> 00:00:27,600 and it's fascinating. 13 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:29,320 Really highlights some important stuff. 14 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,200 Yeah, I mean, these homes, they survived 15 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,560 Hilleen and Milton like it was nothing. 16 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:36,800 Stayed dry, light stayed on, 17 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,760 while everything around them was underwater 18 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:39,760 and in the dark. 19 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:41,480 Hunter's Point, it's a perfect example 20 00:00:41,480 --> 00:00:43,120 of what we call resilient design. 21 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:45,040 Everything's built to a higher standard, 22 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,080 elevated construction, flood vents, 23 00:00:47,080 --> 00:00:48,960 they've even got buried power lines 24 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,840 hooked up to solar powered batteries. 25 00:00:50,840 --> 00:00:52,800 So basically hurricane proof, sounds amazing, right? 26 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:53,920 It's really impressive stuff. 27 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:56,600 Yeah, but here's the thing, and it's a big one. 28 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:58,440 The homes in Hunter's Point, 29 00:00:58,440 --> 00:01:03,440 think like 1.4 to 1.9 million dollars on average. 30 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:05,200 And we're not talking about huge mansions or anything, 31 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:07,440 just like 1500 square feet. 32 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:08,400 Kind of makes you think about 33 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:10,840 who can actually afford to be that safe. 34 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:13,320 Yeah, that's the unfortunate reality. 35 00:01:13,320 --> 00:01:14,880 Hunter's Point shows what's possible, 36 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,200 but for a lot of people, it's just not attainable. 37 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:19,720 It's like this weird contrast, right? 38 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:22,840 Being safe in a hurricane is a luxury for the wealthy. 39 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:23,880 Right, it's two different worlds. 40 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,240 You've got these fortresses, 41 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,480 basically totally fine during the storm, 42 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,440 and then right nearby, there are people struggling, 43 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,640 living in older homes, often in areas 44 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:33,880 that are most likely to flood. 45 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:35,440 And that's where things need to change. 46 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:38,280 Everyone deserves a safe and resilient home, 47 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:39,720 no matter how much money they make. 48 00:01:39,720 --> 00:01:40,720 Absolutely. 49 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,160 So we're gonna break down why this gap exists, 50 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,640 and most importantly, what we can do to close it. 51 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:47,040 What kind of solutions are out there 52 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,520 to make sure everyone has a fighting chance 53 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:50,760 when the next storm hits? 54 00:01:50,760 --> 00:01:51,760 Well, one of the biggest things 55 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:54,520 is how vulnerable lower income families are 56 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:56,880 during and after a hurricane. 57 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:58,960 It's not just about the storm itself, 58 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:01,040 it's everything that comes after. 59 00:02:01,040 --> 00:02:03,560 Losing your home, even for a little bit, 60 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:04,680 it could be devastating, 61 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:07,000 especially if you're barely getting by as it is. 62 00:02:07,000 --> 00:02:10,120 Exactly, and a lot of times, these families, 63 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,240 they don't have much to fall back on, 64 00:02:12,240 --> 00:02:14,960 not much savings, hard to get loans, 65 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:18,520 and then dealing with insurance and government assistance, 66 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:19,880 it's overwhelming. 67 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:21,520 And then there's FEMA. 68 00:02:21,520 --> 00:02:22,760 They're supposed to help, 69 00:02:22,760 --> 00:02:23,920 but doesn't always seem like enough 70 00:02:23,920 --> 00:02:25,720 for lower income families, you know? 71 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,200 Yeah, FEMA mostly focuses on getting property back in shape, 72 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:30,920 which leaves renters in a tough spot. 73 00:02:30,920 --> 00:02:31,760 Right. 74 00:02:31,760 --> 00:02:34,560 And even for homeowners, applications, deadlines, 75 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:36,600 figuring out if you qualify, 76 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:39,120 it's a lot to handle when you're already stressed out 77 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:39,960 from the hurricane. 78 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:41,120 It's like on top of everything else, 79 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:43,160 you gotta become an expert in disaster relief 80 00:02:43,160 --> 00:02:44,360 just to get back on your feet. 81 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,800 Exactly, so a lot of people are saying, 82 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,760 we need a fairer system, 83 00:02:48,760 --> 00:02:51,320 one that puts the most vulnerable people first. 84 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:53,360 Okay, so what does that look like? 85 00:02:53,360 --> 00:02:55,680 How do we go from talking about these problems 86 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,000 to actually fixing them? 87 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,080 Well, we gotta make sure the money for disaster relief 88 00:02:59,080 --> 00:03:00,880 is going to the right places. 89 00:03:00,880 --> 00:03:02,520 That means looking at how much people 90 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,240 were making before the hurricane, 91 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:06,320 if they have insurance, things like that. 92 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:08,560 So a dollar doesn't go as far for a family 93 00:03:08,560 --> 00:03:10,360 that was already struggling, right? 94 00:03:10,360 --> 00:03:12,000 They might need more help than a family 95 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:13,520 with savings and insurance. 96 00:03:13,520 --> 00:03:16,240 Exactly, and even before hurricane hits, 97 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,680 we need to do more to help vulnerable communities get ready. 98 00:03:19,680 --> 00:03:21,320 Like trying to prevent the worst of it. 99 00:03:21,320 --> 00:03:23,280 Exactly, stronger building codes, 100 00:03:23,280 --> 00:03:25,800 especially for older homes, and using nature 101 00:03:25,800 --> 00:03:27,240 to our advantage. 102 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,240 Like restoring coastal areas 103 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,040 that can protect against storm surges. 104 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:33,480 So it's a mix of using tougher materials 105 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:35,000 and working with nature. 106 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,760 Right, and it's not just about physical stuff either. 107 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:40,240 We need to make sure communities have places to go 108 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,000 during an emergency, ways to get out safely, 109 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,960 and affordable housing that's not right in the danger zone. 110 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:47,800 So building a community that can bounce back 111 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:50,800 on every level. Exactly, and there's this growing idea 112 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:52,800 that communities need to be more involved 113 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:56,120 in preparing for and responding to disasters. 114 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:57,120 That's interesting. 115 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,160 I always figured it was mostly up to the government 116 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:01,000 or big organizations. 117 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:03,840 But it makes sense that the people who live there 118 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:06,640 would know best how to help each other. 119 00:04:06,640 --> 00:04:07,640 It's really important. 120 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,520 It's not just about getting through the storm. 121 00:04:09,520 --> 00:04:10,760 It's about supporting each other 122 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:12,200 during the long recovery. 123 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,440 It's like building a sense of we're in this together. 124 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:16,280 Exactly. 125 00:04:16,280 --> 00:04:18,160 It really makes you realize how important 126 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:19,840 that community aspect is. 127 00:04:19,840 --> 00:04:22,360 Like you need strong building, sure, 128 00:04:22,360 --> 00:04:24,560 but you also need strong connections between people. 129 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:25,840 It's all connected. 130 00:04:25,840 --> 00:04:27,840 And we can't forget about insurance either. 131 00:04:27,840 --> 00:04:29,360 That's a huge part of all this. 132 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:30,280 Oh, right. 133 00:04:30,280 --> 00:04:33,520 Insurance can make or break your recovery after a hurricane 134 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,440 if you can even afford it in the first place. 135 00:04:35,440 --> 00:04:38,120 That's the thing, getting affordable insurance, 136 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:39,640 especially for floods. 137 00:04:39,640 --> 00:04:42,320 It's so tough for lower income families. 138 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:44,600 Yeah, we talked about how a lot of those communities 139 00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,200 are in older homes, places that are more likely to flood. 140 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:51,120 Insurance companies, they don't like that too much. 141 00:04:51,120 --> 00:04:52,520 It's a tough situation. 142 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,360 The people who need the most help affording protection 143 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:57,600 are often the ones who can afford at the least. 144 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:58,760 So how do we fix that? 145 00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:00,760 How do we make insurance fairer? 146 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:02,920 Well, there's some interesting ideas out there. 147 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,800 Some people think the government should help with the costs, 148 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:07,880 like with subsidies or tax breaks. 149 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:09,720 OK, so helping people pay for it. 150 00:05:09,720 --> 00:05:10,480 Right. 151 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:12,800 And then there's this idea of community insurance, 152 00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:16,480 where everyone ships in together to lower the overall cost. 153 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:17,640 Interesting. 154 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:20,480 It seems like making insurance cheaper is important, 155 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:23,400 but shouldn't we be focusing on making communities 156 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,000 stronger in the first place? 157 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:25,800 Absolutely. 158 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:28,840 The best way to keep people safe is to make sure they're not 159 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:30,400 as vulnerable to begin with. 160 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:32,800 So instead of just reacting to disasters, 161 00:05:32,800 --> 00:05:35,040 we try to prevent as much damage as possible. 162 00:05:35,040 --> 00:05:36,040 Exactly. 163 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:38,880 We need to be thinking long term, creating a system that's 164 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:42,280 more fair and equitable, where everyone has a chance 165 00:05:42,280 --> 00:05:44,400 to live in a safe and strong community. 166 00:05:44,400 --> 00:05:45,280 Well said. 167 00:05:45,280 --> 00:05:47,480 This deep dive has been pretty eye-opening. 168 00:05:47,480 --> 00:05:50,640 We've seen how unfair things can be after a hurricane, 169 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,640 but we've also learned about ways to make things better. 170 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:54,160 I agree. 171 00:05:54,160 --> 00:05:56,800 We've got a lot to think about new ideas to consider. 172 00:05:56,800 --> 00:05:58,160 And we need to work together if we're 173 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:00,600 going to build communities that are ready for anything. 174 00:06:00,600 --> 00:06:01,600 That's so important. 175 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,480 And that brings us to our final thought for today. 176 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:05,080 We've talked about the big picture stuff. 177 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,040 It all starts with us, right here in our own communities. 178 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,120 What can we do, each of us, to help bridge that gap, 179 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:13,440 to make sure everyone has a safe place to live, 180 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:15,360 no matter what life throws at them? 181 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:16,800 Keep thinking about that. 182 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:18,920 And as always, thanks for joining us on this deep drive. 183 00:06:18,920 --> 00:06:47,880 And until next time, stay curious.