Todd BenDor, Director of Odum Institute for Research in Social Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill

Todd BenDor, Director of Odum Institute for Research in Social Sciences at UNC-Chapel Hill

Dr. Todd BenDor, the director of the Odum Institute for Research in Social Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Sustainable Community Design in the Department of City and Regional Planning at UNC-Chapel Hill, is an honored member of the NC Policy Collaboratory’s faculty. Dr. BenDor’s area of research and academia that have brought him to the Collaboratory are concentrated on increasing our understanding of the impacts human activities and development have on delicate ecological and environmental systems.

Dr. BenDor helped spearhead Floodplain Buyout research within the Collaboratory’s Flood Resiliency study made possible in 2019 through $2 million in funding given to the Collaboratory from the North Carolina General Assembly. Dr. BenDor accompanied by Dr. David Salvesen of the UNC Institute for the Environment led a team of skilled scientists and researchers to create a well-rounded analysis of floodplain buyouts in North Carolina. This research gives the state insight on funding mechanisms for buyouts, the complete cost of buyouts, the benefits of private sector involvement, and the negative impact of new development in floodplains on NC flood mitigation.

Reports

Dr. BenDor and Dr. Salvesen’s Collaboratory report on floodplain buyouts.
Full Flood Resiliency Study final report.