Analyzing Post-Harvey Recovery through Nighttime Lights: A Case Study of Harris County, Texas

In the United States, disaster recovery operates within a broader framework of federal insurance and post-disaster aid programs that are central to rebuilding efforts. Despite substantial federal investment in disaster recovery, the underlying drivers of post-disaster recovery outcomes remain insufficiently understood with no universally accepted framework for measuring community resilience and often constrained by data limitations particularly in capturing socioeconomic aspects of recovery. Remote sensing has emerged as an alternative tool for assessing recovery, offering high-resolution, timely, and spatially explicit data to the traditional methods such as surveys and interviews. This study utilizes Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Nighttime Lights (NTL) data as a proxy for socioeconomic activity to assess the recovery of residential properties following Hurricane Harvey. Statistical analysis incorporates environmental, socioeconomic, and parcel-level characteristics to evaluate the effects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and Individual and Household Program (IHP) on a short-term recovery period. Findings indicate that NFIP participation significantly contributed to residential recovery throughout the period of recovery following the hurricane. In contrast, IHP assistance showed measurable impact in the initial periods of recovery, likely due to the severity of damage and the immediate prioritization of basic needs. However, by the second and third quarters, federal assistance began to support recovery, reflected in rising NTL radiance levels, signaling the gradual return of human activity and economic restoration. The results also highlight the need for rigorous evaluation of such programs, with an emphasis on their integration into long-term mitigation and resilience planning.