Those numbers could easily increase as housing needs spur development in landslide-prone areas, and as climate change increases the severity and frequency of heavy rains, which are often a trigger. The new Landslide Exposure Database, or LED, is the first resource to map building-level landslide risk for the entire US. “In a sense, it’s good news, because it shows landslide risk to be a localized hazard, which makes it more practical and affordable to address.” But in urban areas, Wartman said, “all of that flips on its head.” Landslide-prone areas in cities tend to be highly valued hillside neighborhoods with desirable views, so the exposed populations are often better resourced.