policy brief

Leveraging the Sharing Economy to Expand Shelter and Transportation Resources in California Evacuations

Publication Date

June 1, 2019

Author(s)

Susan Shaheen, Stephen Wong

Areas of Expertise

Infrastructure Delivery, Operations, & Resilience

Abstract

In 2017 and 2018, California was severely impacted by a number of devastating wildfires that required thousands of people to evacuate. These evacuations were hampered by poor communication, traffic congestion, and transportation and shelter resource deficiencies. To ensure that all citizens have both transportation and shelter in evacuations, agencies must consider alternative strategies for expanding resources, such as leveraging the sharing economy.