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Over the past two decades, local hazard mitigation planning has been driven by a federal law, known as the Federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000). On October 30, 2000, Congress passed the DMA 2000 (Public Law 106-390), which amended the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act of 1988 (Title 42 of the United States Code Section 5121 et seq.) by repealing the act’s previous mitigation planning section (409) and replacing it with a new mitigation planning section (322). This new section emphasized the need for state, tribal, and local entities to closely coordinate mitigation planning and implementation efforts. This new section also provided the legal basis for mitigation plan requirements for FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs.

Alameda County is vulnerable to a wide range of hazards. Since the adoption of the 2016 LHMP, Alameda County has experienced the following disasters:

• 2021: State of Emergency for drought and winter storms
• 2020: State of Emergency for fires and extreme weather conditions
• 2020: Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for COVID-19 response
• 2019: State of Emergency for extreme wind and fire conditions
• 2017: Presidential Major Disaster Declaration for winter storms

The risks posed by these and other hazards increases as the County's population continues to grow. Integrating hazard mitigation planning, which focuses on historic risks, with climate adaptation planning, which focuses on future risks, will provide clear guidance and a unified strategy to support community sustainability and resilience.