The CERC program builds risk awareness and disaster resiliency at the local level, and helps local officials and citizens make sense of the many challenges and opportunities involved in growth planning.
The CERC program:
1) Provides Tools to Understand Local Risks and Choices
The CERC program uses the CHARM (Community Health and Resources Management) mapping tool to help communities plan for long term risk. CHARM gives local officials, stakeholders, and citizens the power to map and analyze growth with real-time feedback. The mapping application is supported with a library of mapping data about urbanization, storm surges, conservation, public facilities, and coastal resources. The CHARM application can leverage local community knowledge for better long-term planning, and is an ideal tool for communities, watersheds, and environmental projects along the US Gulf Coast.
2) Facilitates the Integration of Risk Mitigation Concepts into Local Planning Policies and Practices
The CERC program works closely with communities to understand existing planning policies, practices, and mechanisms. These tools can greatly reduce risk to disasters and promote long term community resiliency. CERC program staff help communities achieve this integration.
3) Delivers Education about Planning Policy and Practices
Through Texas Citizen Planner (TCP), the CERC program provides elected and appointed officials the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed land use decisions that lead to long-term hazard management, natural resource conservation, safer neighborhoods, and improved quality of life. This program is designed to provide a broad-based planning curriculum led by planners and researchers and focusing on issues important to Texas communities.
4) Aligns Federal and State Resources to Local Planning Priorities
The CERC program maintains a dedicated staff of hazard mitigation and planning specialists. Through close collaboration with regional, state, and federal actors, the CERC program aligns resources to support local communities in their ability to take actions to reduce risk.
