( CNN ) -- From superstorms to floods , to historic heat waves and droughts , not a week goes by without a major disruption somewhere in our communities . Between 2011 and 2013 , 48 states and two-thirds of American counties endured crises severe enough to be declared major disasters . Of course , these events are n't preventable , but there are often steps we can take to change how we prepare and respond . Indeed , with the right preparation , not every extreme weather disruption has to become a disaster . Hurricane Sandy underscores what can be done . The deadly 2012 storm was devastating for communities along the Eastern Seaboard . But the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Rockefeller Foundation asked the question : What if we focused on planning and preparing as much as we do on disaster reaction and response ? So we partnered to create Rebuild by Design , a competition that brings together engineering and design experts with public , philanthropic and community organizations to try to find ways of rebuilding that make communities like those affected in New York and New Jersey more environmentally and economically resilient . And now the competition is hitting the national stage , with the HUD-led $ 1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition , which is aimed at encouraging local businesses , community development organizations , nonprofits , and local and state governments to rethink how cities plan in the face of a growing number of natural disasters . In November , we convened a summit of leaders from 67 competing states , cities , counties and parishes . Now , government officials and civic leaders as well as engineers , architects and urban planners will participate in boot camp-like resilience academies to understand best practices before they submit their proposals . The first one , designed for the challenges facing the Southeast in particular , is being held this week in Atlanta , followed by other dedicated regional academies across the country in the new year . This billion-dollar investment turns the traditional idea of disaster relief on its head . For years , communities have received federal recovery funds after the fact -- when they were knocked on their heels by a disaster . Unsurprisingly , this is also a particularly expensive way of doing business . This new approach , in contrast , will ultimately save communities millions in long-term costs . The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests that every dollar we invest in resilience before a disaster saves $ 4 after the fact . So , in a way , this was an idea that we could n't afford not to do . We call the philosophy behind this competition the `` resilience dividend , '' and it pays off by improving our everyday lives in the good times , too . Take Tulsa , Oklahoma , which over the last century has often experienced flooding . Since the city began planting parks in floodplains and changing the way it designs its buildings , Tulsa 's residents have been paying some of the lowest insurance rates in the country and worrying less about losing their homes and property . The quality of their lives and their sense of economic security has grown . Or consider Boulder , Colorado . After a bout of historic rainstorms there , a public-private partnership designed storm drains that double as bicycle trails , floodgates doubling as transportation routes , and recreation areas that protect water quality . And New Orleans , which was devastated by flooding from Hurricane Katrina 10 years ago next year , reimagined its economic base in rebuilding itself , encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship and creative and sustainable development . A decade after large areas were submerged , New Orleans is recognized as a hotbed for startups and one of America 's most resilient cities . Rebuild by Design is succeeding not only because of the creativity of the projects , but also due to the collaboration of multidisciplinary teams of engineers , architects , planners and , importantly , local communities -- all of which partnered in unprecedented ways . Of crucial value , the teams spent considerable time on the ground in these communities , building critical trust and listening to citizens about their needs . For example , one of the winning groups in the competition proposed a 10-mile flood barrier to protect Lower Manhattan -- called the `` Big U '' -- that would not only be functional and effective , but also aesthetically appealing . Drawing on local input , the design incorporated green space , bike paths , art and community markets that create economic opportunity in underdeveloped areas , all while protecting against future flooding . Building resilience is a process with no ideology : Natural disasters in our country are destroying Republican and Democratic communities alike . But the National Disaster Resilience Competition is providing common-sense solutions that create common ground on which to work together . The time to embrace resilience is now .
Judith Rodin and JuliÃ¡n Castro : Disasters hurt Republican , Republican communities alike . Each dollar invested in resilience before a disaster saves $ 4 after the fact , they note . Rockefeller Foundation and Design partner to create Rebuild by Design . The competition looks for ways to rebuild that make communities more resilient .