Homeowners Handbooks

December 12, 2014

In 2007 Dennis Hwang and Darren K. Okimoto of the University of Hawai’i Sea Grant co-authored a community specific Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards. The handbook targets the average homeowner and is based on three main principles: (1) make it easy to read and understandable to the average homeowner, with pictures and step-by-step instruction; (2) educate and inform the homeowner of hazard risk in their area, because homeowners won’t act unless they believe there is a chance that a hazard can happen; and (3) offer as many options or solutions to the homeowner as possible that are relevant, reasonable and cost effective, even providing options the homeowner can do themselves after consulting with a licensed professional. Essentially, the Handbook does as much homework for the homeowner as possible. Since 2007, the Hawai’i Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards has gone through 8 print runs with over 65,000 copies. The handbook has been adapted by 7 other Sea Grant programs, providing assistance to homeowners in Alabama, Delaware, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, and Texas.

Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Natural Hazards

Four people install substrate for an oyster reef.

Alaska

Biden-Harris Administration invests $60 million to build a climate-ready workforce through Investing in America agenda

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $60 million in funding to help train and place people in jobs that advance a climate-ready workforce for coastal and Great Lakes states, Tribes and Territories as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda under the Inflation Reduction Act. To date, awards like these from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda have created more than 270,000 jobs across the country.

The funding will support nine projects around the nation, with $50 million going directly to the projects and $10 million for technical assistance to support the grantees.

Sea Grant Aquaculture Academy in New Hampshire

Sea Grant aquaculture professionals from across the country convened in Portsmouth, NH in early April for a 4-day intensive “Sea Grant Aquaculture Academy” hosted by New Hampshire Sea Grant with support from North Carolina Sea Grant.

Sea Grant takes center stage in Oceanography special issue

NOAA Sea Grant-funded research and work with coastal and Great Lakes communities across the nation are being highlighted in a special issue of “Oceanography,” the official journal of The Oceanography Society.

This special issue, published in April 2024, features 36 articles contributed by Sea Grant authors across 29 programs and the NOAA National Sea Grant Office.