2025 Theses Master's

A Blank Canvas: Natural Disaster Relief and the Climate Gentrification of Black Neighborhoods 

Roberson, Adrienne D.

This thesis explores the intersection of climate gentrification, disaster relief, and urban renewal practices in Black communities across the United States. Beginning with a historical analysis of the ways public and private interest groups have systematically disenfranchised Black neighborhoods through the disinvestment of infrastructure and racialized zoning, these practices became commonplace across the country with the entrapment of Black residents in neighborhoods located near flood zones, toxic waste disposal plants, and contaminated with poor air quality. Using three (3) case studies including New Orleans and Hurricane Katrina (2005), Brooklyn and Hurricane Sandy (2012), and Houston and Hurricane Harvey (2017), this research examines how natural disasters have served as catalysts for urban renewal policies that often exclude or displace long-term Black residents. While federal disaster relief is intended to promote recovery and resilience, in practice funds are frequently distributed in ways that prioritize large-scale redevelopment and private investment over equitable rebuilding for vulnerable communities. This study interrogates the structural and historical forces that shape such outcomes, including redlining, racialized zoning practices, benign neglect strategies, and the longstanding devaluation of Black neighborhoods. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research incorporates census and economic data analysis alongside qualitative interviews with residents, community leaders and stakeholders, and government officials. The findings aim to illuminate the mechanisms through which disaster capitalism accelerates gentrification and deepens racial inequities, while also considering community-led resilience strategies that offer more just and sustainable alternatives. Ultimately, this thesis seeks to answer whether disaster relief and urban renewal planning can be reimagined to foster equity, sustainability, and inclusion in Black communities most at risk of the impacts of climate change.

Keywords: climate gentrification, disaster capitalism, urban renewal, emergency management, community development