Resilient homes help protect occupants and maintain livable conditions during a range of climate-driven events (CDEs), such as extreme heat and cold, wildfires and smoke, flooding, and power outages. These homes often feature fire-resistant materials, improved insulation, efficient heating and cooling systems, enhanced air filtration, and backup power sources to reduce health risks, maintain comfort, and support long-term habitability in the face of a changing climate.
In Lake County, many residents lack resilient housing, including unhoused individuals and mobile home residents. An estimated 37% of households do not have air conditioning in 2009 and there were 7,400 permitted or occupied manufactured or mobile homes in the county. Residents that have difficulties leaving their home during a CDE, such as disabled or homebound individuals, are particularly at risk if living in a non-resilient home.
Key issues and strategies for Lake County
Infrastructure and equipment for resilient homes
Individual and household emergency preparedness capacity
Safe temporary living spaces for unhoused residents
1. Infrastructure and equipment for resilient homes
Issues in Lake County
- Many homes lack essential features such as insulation, adequate heating and cooling, and backup power—especially critical for residents relying on medical equipment.
- A large portion of residents are low income, making it difficult to afford necessary upgrades or cover ongoing energy costs.
- Renters also face barriers to requesting fixes or upgrades to their homes from their landlords.
- Housing insecurity is a significant issue in the county. Unhoused residents may only have shelter from tents, sheds, or vehicles.
Identified strategies
Through surveys and interviews, we identified several strategies that county agencies, Tribes, NGOs, CBOs and others can or currently do use to address these issues.
A. Connect residents to existing resources
- Support for weatherization, energy bill assistance, and back-up generators is available for low-income individuals and/or those who use durable medical equipment.
- Organizations can play a key role by identifying eligible residents and helping them enroll in these programs.
B. Prioritize outreach to high-risk residents
- Develop targeted outreach plans to reach people with disabilities, seniors, and others who are especially at risk during extreme weather events.
- Ensure these individuals are signed up for relevant registries (e.g., medical baseline programs, power restoration priority lists).
C. Strengthen Building and Rental Standards
- Advocate for updated housing codes that require climate resilience features—like insulation, air conditioning, and fire-safe materials—in new developments.
- Evaluate and improve standards for rental properties and mobile home parks, which often house vulnerable populations.
- Engage with Tribal governments to strengthen resilience requirements for housing built on Tribal lands.
2. Household emergency preparedness capacity
Issues in Lake County
- Lack of comprehensive emergency plans- Not all individuals and families have evacuation or shelter-in-place plans, including backup options or transportation arrangements.
- Insufficient emergency supplies- Many households do not have essential items such as evacuation kits, battery-powered fans or cooling devices, or backup lighting during outages.
- Gaps in emergency information- Residents may be unaware of local resources, evacuation zones, or how to receive timely alerts and updates.
- Uncertainty about where to go- People may not know the locations or hours of operation for resilience centers or other safe spaces during emergencies.
Strategies identified
A. Promote and assist with emergency planning
- Provide templates and guidance for household emergency plans that include both evacuation and shelter-in-place scenarios.
- Offer workshops or one-on-one support to help residents create personalized plans that account for transportation, communication, and access to medical care or equipment.
- Emphasize the importance of backup plans, particularly for those who rely on others for mobility or assistance.
B. Distribute emergency supplies
- Supply “resilience kits” with essentials like flashlights, cooling items (e.g., fans or cooling cloths), fire blankets, portable power banks, and radios.
- Target outreach to residents without air conditioning, those with medical needs, and mobile or unhoused populations.
- Partner with mutual aid groups or local volunteers to distribute supplies directly to homes.
C. Compile and distribute quick-reference emergency information
- Develop and share easy-to-understand materials about local emergency contacts, evacuation zones, cooling and warming centers, and transportation resources.
- Ensure information is available in multiple languages and formats that are easy to find during emergencies (e.g., refrigerator magnet).
- Coordinate with schools, clinics, food banks, and other trusted community hubs to distribute materials.
D. Create community-based support systems
- Encourage neighborhood-level preparedness networks where residents can check in on each other and share resources.
- Support peer educators or community navigators who can assist with preparedness planning, especially for seniors or isolated individuals.
3. Safe temporary living spaces for unhoused residents
Issues in Lake County
- Many unhoused individuals live in fire-prone or exposed areas without protection from the elements.
- Without climate-controlled spaces, extreme temperatures pose serious health risks.
- Shelters and resilience centers may be closed, full, or not accessible during critical events.
- Most emergency systems are not designed with the needs of unhoused populations in mind.
- Even outside of emergencies, access to basic services and safety is limited for unhoused residents.
Strategies identified
A. Explore community-based pilots or assessments
- Fund or support a community-led assessment or pilot study to identify spaces that unhoused individuals already trust and use that could be adapted as temporary, 24-hour climate-safe shelters.
- Involve people with lived experience in identifying barriers, opportunities, and culturally responsive solutions.
B. Develop low-barrier, pop-up solutions
- Consider using temporary infrastructure like tents, trailers, or climate-controlled buses in accessible locations, especially during declared emergencies.
- Mobile Warming Units- Use heated buses, trailers, or tents stationed in accessible locations as temporary warming sites.
- Set Up Temporary Cooling Stations- Use shaded areas, pop-up tents, or portable canopies in public parks or parking lots with misting systems, fans, and hydration stations.
C. Distribute emergency heating or cooling supplies
- Explore the safe distribution of weather-appropriate gear—such as insulated sleeping bags, emergency blankets, hand warmers (for cold), and personal misters, fans, or cooling towels (for heat).
- Provide clear safety guidance on how to use items that produce heat, and avoid materials that pose fire risks in unsupervised settings.
D. Strengthen coordination and outreach
- Coordinate across emergency services, housing advocates, and local outreach teams to ensure timely communication and response during climate emergencies.
- Increase outreach before and during CDEs to distribute supplies, share information, and assist with transportation to safe locations.
- Emergency Outreach Teams: Send trained outreach workers to check on people, provide gear, information, transport to warming sites, and perform wellness checks.