Presented By: Department of Economics
Economic Consequences of Natural Disasters:\\ The Impact of Hurricane Harvey on Local Retail and Consumer Welfare
Eric Lewis, Texas A&M University
We examine the impact of Hurricane Harvey on retail businesses and consumers. Using granular data on flooding and card expenditures, we show that Harvey-induced flooding caused a modest increase in establishment exit. Using a model of consumer demand, we find that Harvey-induced exits reduced consumer welfare by less than 2% on average, but that welfare decreased by more than 12% in the hardest-hit census tracts. We discuss how to optimally allocate business aid after natural disasters.
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