Modern communities face tremendous challenges around replacing aging assets, addressing impacts of climate change, bouncing back from disasters, and preserving the affordability of city services for all citizens. Harris & Associates helps public agencies face those challenges head-on to build a more resilient future.
It’s not enough for communities to repair or replace central infrastructure. They must do so with a focus forward—building their infrastructure’s capacity to withstand one-time traumatic events and perpetual stresses, from flooding to overtaxed transportation systems. Harris works with agencies to deliver proven resilience and risk strategies—especially for those challenged by resource and capacity limitations.
A Holistic Approach to Complex Systems
How do you take the complexity that’s inherently part of all your interconnected systems and build more resilient infrastructure? Harris brings a tailored approach to help you manage risk and chart a streamlined path that accounts for societal and economic systems, regulations, and overwhelming volumes of data.
The best planning policies and procedures are developed by those who have successfully implemented capital programs and can apply decades of lessons learned to today’s challenges. Harris has supported hundreds of capital delivery projects over the past four decades, the vast majority of which have involved municipal infrastructure.
Experts Accountable to Your Needs
Harris recognizes that advanced planning, especially for vulnerable populations, is important in reducing risks to people and property associated with disasters. As your trusted advisor, we hold ourselves accountable to your needs, deliver on our services, and develop solutions that provide efficiencies, cost savings, and an improved quality of life for your community. Harris assembles results-oriented teams with superior technical experience in hazard mitigation, recovery, emergency management planning.
Related People
Brochure
Urban Footprint
Harris is proud to partner with UrbanFootprint—a cloud-based scenario planning tool designed to help land use planners, the public, and decision makers understand and communicate the impacts and trade-offs of land use decisions using scientific research and data about real places where people live and work.
Envision® Sustainable Infrastructure Rating System
Harris & Associates is a proud charter member of the Envision® sustainable infrastructure rating system. This system provides a holistic framework for evaluating and rating the community, environmental, and economic benefits of all types and sizes of infrastructure projects.
-
Local Hazard Mitigation Planning (LHMP)
Local Hazard Mitigation Planning (LHMP)
Collectively, our team has prepared or reviewed hundreds of LHMPs. We know what works and how to get the steps done quickly. Many of our team members have worked together for decades and have deep networks at Cal OES and FEMA. The team understands how to conform to Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Planning Grant requirements, how to work effectively with Cal OES and FEMA, and how to secure a speedy approval with minimal requests for additional information. For example, we assisted the City of Watsonville with both an LHMP and Community Rating System tailored to their specific area. Harris also has multidisciplinary expertise in civil engineering and environmental compliance to help prioritize and promote mitigation projects with the greatest potential to reduce loss of life and property.
-
Community Rating Systems (CRS)
Community Rating Systems (CRS)
Our team of floodplain and CRS experts have helped dozens of communities increase their CRS ratings. Our experts provide a deep understanding of how to incorporate the CRS 10-step process into the LHMP planning process, and by doing so, communities are able to secure additional credits, which will contribute towards a CRS rating increase.
-
Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)
Disaster Recovery Planning (DRP)
We know that when a disaster strikes communities need a detailed plan to respond and recover from these catastrophes. Harris helps agencies perform preliminary analyses to assess community impacts, risks, recovery time objectives, and more. The results of these studies inform the larger plan and strategies to minimize the impact of a disaster so the community can quickly resume its most critical functions and way of life.
-
Disaster Risk Reduction (DDR)
-
Climate Adaptation Planning
Climate Adaptation Planning
Developing policy and planning in the face of climate change uncertainty presents challenges for 21st-century communities. Our climate change and resilience experts help communities take a proactive approach to decision making, incorporating regional resilience, and accounting for regulatory mandates and financing options in planning and implementation.
-
GIS and UrbanFootprint
GIS and UrbanFootprint
Using GIS and UrbanFootrpint to collect and analyze pertinent geospatial information, Harris supports cities in turning data into decision-making insights for a safer, more resilient future. We use these cutting-edge tools to identify problems, decipher trends, and forecast what’s to come—enabling cities to concentrate efforts in the areas that need it most.
Local Hazard Mitigation Planning (LHMP)
Collectively, our team has prepared or reviewed hundreds of LHMPs. We know what works and how to get the steps done quickly. Many of our team members have worked together for decades and have deep networks at Cal OES and FEMA. The team understands how to conform to Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) Planning Grant requirements, how to work effectively with Cal OES and FEMA, and how to secure a speedy approval with minimal requests for additional information. For example, we assisted the City of Watsonville with both an LHMP and Community Rating System tailored to their specific area. Harris also has multidisciplinary expertise in civil engineering and environmental compliance to help prioritize and promote mitigation projects with the greatest potential to reduce loss of life and property.
