What Should Happen in the Wake of a Natural Disaster?
Severe hurricanes, floods, mudslides and wildfires can threaten life and property, displace families and devastate communities. Residents in areas experiencing natural disasters may find their homes are not be habitable for long periods of time resulting in temporary to permanent displacement of the families. Community recovery efforts could take time, leading to potential loss of income for some residents. One important area of consumer protections during times of disaster and recovery concerns the preservation of essential utility service to the home and minimization of financial harm. This issue brief draws from the work of consumer advocates in California and Texas1 to secure utility consumer protections in the wake of devastating and natural disasters.