Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2
Testing the Hypothesis, Part 2
The first person I spoke with stayed during the hurricane. While their family did suffer some problems, they did not personally experience much property damage or loss. In fact, the girl I spoke with was living at her parent’s house at the time the storm occurred. She was able to get a few friends together as roommates shortly after the storm, so she was not negatively impacted by the damage from the hurricane. She grew up in Panama City Beach so had a strong network of friends that were able to assist her. Her place of work was not severely damaged, so she was able to continue her job without an issue. She was not impacted in such a way that she has a need for resources or additional help.
The second person I spoke with said he had damages to part of the home he lived in during the storm. While this was a problem since he rented his house, the landlord was able to make the repairs in a timely manner. While this was an inconvenience it was not a continued problem. With the repairs being completed there was no need for him to need to search for outside resources. He as well was able to keep his job without any issues.
The third person I spoke with evacuated during the hurricane. When she returned she discovered she did not experience damage to her property. Her place of employment did experience some damage, but she was able to obtain a seasonal job. Her place of business was opened shortly after so this did not cause her that many problems in finding the resources she needed. While she evacuated she was forced to come out of pocket on travel expenses but since she had family out of state she didn’t have hotel expenses. The landlord also helped them out by waiving a month’s rent.
The forth person I spoke with was retired so they did not have to worry about losing their employment with the storm. While many homes in their neighborhood were damaged they did not experience any damage to their property. Therefore, the hurricane did not directly impact them for any financial loss.
The fifth person who I spoke with stayed during the hurricane. The property they stayed in collapsed during the storm. Everyone ended up safe and they when they returned home they found they had minimum damage that the landlord was able to repair in time for them. Even though she was pregnant during the hurricane and after she did not experience any health problems and was still able to gain seasonal employment that did not cause further issues for her and her family.
Who: Even though these people were impacted by the hurricane they impact is not currently causing them issues. It is mostly due to the fact these people did not receive property damage or if they did it was minimum. Many of those that rented their properties the landlord was able to make the repairs without causing them extra expenses. Also, those whose places of employment were not damaged did not find a need for resources.
What:
While property damage is a very big issue for many it is not for some. If the property damage did not impact their day to day life, was not expensive or did not cause them unemployment the need for assistance really is not there.
Why: I think those directly negatively impacted from severe damage are the ones still in need for resources to assist them.
Who is In
Poor
Unemployed due to the Hurricane
Homeless due to the storm
People displaced from their home due to the storm
Property owners
Those without home insurance
Who is Not
Employed
Those without property damage
Renters whose landlords made repairs
Those not directly impacted due to storm
Retirees with funds available
Investors
What the Need Is
Assistance and funding for shelter and basic needs
Consultation
Employment
What the Need Is Not
Focusing on people that did not have damage
Why the Need Exists
Damage was caused by Hurricane Michael
Alternative Explanations
Not everyone experienced the same damage
Hi Victoria,
ReplyDeleteAs property damage is certainly a large detriment, it is important to heavily consider the market size for those affected by the hurricane. I think you can expand a little more on what the hurricane damage assistance will look like for those in the market as there may be varying levels of damage and financial needs. Will they all be housed in the same shelter? What if the house is still able to live in? Will they just receive food and alternative electric/water services? One thing to think about is how much the assistance will cost in correlation to the benefits. Will the business have enough funds to support those in need of shelter but afford to continue to run without going into debt? Are these people working for free? Will others donate to the cause? Just some thoughts.
Hi Victoria,
ReplyDeleteThis is a great break down of who would be into your opportunity and who would not be affected or need it. Natural disasters do unfortunately affect the low-income more than others and they are the ones who have less resources to fix things. Focusing on the people that had damage and need the assistance most will definitely be the best course of action as you have shown!
Victoria,
ReplyDeleteGreat job finding people to interview that all had different experiences from the hurricane. Damage from a hurricane can be very difficult to predict and of course will effect those with less resources far more than others. Unemployment due to a natural disaster is something I never thought was an issue, good job recognizing that. It seems like there is plenty of need for hurricane assistance.
Victoria, I loved reading this post! The stories are incredibly captivating and touching. You did a good job defining the boundary, highlighting the issues that need to be resolved. I enjoyed seeing the highlight of the outcomes of those that stayed during the hurricane versus those that evacuated. Some were more fortunate than others, and we need to work hard to ensure we aid all of our friends.
ReplyDelete