Are there differences between minority households willingness-to-pay for wildfire risk reduction in Florida?

Abstract

The purpose of this work is to estimate willingness-to-pay (WTP) for minority (African-American and Hispanic) homeowners in Florida for private and public wildfire risk reduction programs. Also to test for differences in response between the two groups. A random parameter logit and latent class models allowed us to determine if there is difference in wildfire mitigation program preferences and whether WTP is higher for public or private actions for wildfire risk reduction, and whether households with personal experience and perceiving living in higher risk areas have significantly higher WTP. We also compare FL minority homeowners’ WTP values with general FL homeowners estimates. Results suggest that FL minority homeowners are willing to invest in public programs, with African-Americans WTP values twice as much as Hispanics. In addition, the highest priority for cost sharing funds would go to homeowners in areas who perceive their houses to be at high risk, and especially to cost share private actions on their own land. These results may help fire managers optimize allocation of scarce cost sharing funds for public vs private actions.

Parent Publication

• Proceedings of the fifth international symposium on fire economics, planning, and policy: ecosystem services and wildfires

Citation

González-Cabán, Armando; Sánchez, José J. 2019. Are there differences between minority households willingness-to-pay for wildfire risk reduction in Florida? In: González-Cabán, Armando; Sánchez, José J., tech. eds. Proceedings of the fifth international symposium on fire economics, planning, and policy: ecosystem services and wildfires. Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-261 (English). Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 53-69.