Architects as disaster partners
Local governments need trusted partners who can support disaster response and recovery efforts. Architects are one of those partners—helping civic leaders and public officials recover faster, rebuild smarter, and strengthen long-term resilience.
Partner with architects to strengthen your community
In the past decade, 90% of U.S. counties have experienced a federally declared disaster. The question is no longer whether a community will face disaster, but when. Yet architects remain an underutilized resource in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.
Through AIA’s nationwide network, architects work alongside emergency managers, public officials, and community leaders to help communities prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters.
How architects can help
Architects can support communities before, during, and after disasters by helping to:
- Conduct post-disaster building safety assessments
- Support temporary and long-term housing recovery
- Assist with resilient recovery planning
- Facilitate community engagement and recovery visioning
- Contribute hazard mitigation and resilience strategies
When to bring in an architect
The most effective partnerships begin before disaster strikes. Connecting with your local AIA chapter or state disaster coordinator early can help communities strengthen preparedness, expand recovery capacity, and accelerate response efforts when disasters occur.
Public officials can engage architects by:
- Connecting with local AIA chapters to identify architects with disaster experience
- Establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with your local AIA chapter to ensure architects are partners in your emergency management framework
- Inviting architects to participate on recovery task forces and resilience planning committees
- Including local AIA members in emergency preparedness planning
- Engaging architects in public outreach, risk assessments, and mitigation planning
Ready to connect?
Contact your local AIA chapter or AIA state disaster coordinator to start building resilience in your community today.
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Iowa: Architects support post-tornado disaster building assessments in Minden to get people back into their homes as quickly as possible. -
California: Following the Los Angeles wildfires, architects provided pro-bono technical assistance to residents rebuilding damaged or destroyed homes. Licensed architects offered homeowners guidance on permitting, code requirements, rebuilding options, and recovery. Including architects in Local Assistance Centers and Disaster Recovery Centers provided residents with direct access to trusted technical expertise while helping public agencies manage housing recovery challenges more efficiently. -
North Carolina: Through the Communities by Design program, architects worked with residents, local leaders, and stakeholders in Bakersville to support a community-driven recovery and resilience planning process. Pubic workshops and engagement efforts identified strategies to strengthen economic vitality, connectivity, and long-term resilience. -
Indiana: Architects and engineers joined I-BEAM and Indiana's Department of Homeland Security in a simulated exercise to prepare for future deployments.
Get certified as a building evaluator through the nationally recognized Safety Assessment Program (SAP) and help communities recover after disasters.