Love that sports jacket.

In the book ,he owes the mob big for taking a bunch of "loans" from them for his businesses.

They're the one forcing him to keep the beaches open because they need to keep property values up as part of a money laundering scheme that involves selling beachfront property. If the beaches close, the mob loses big.

The mob even sends an enforcer over to Brody's house because the Sheriff is pushing to close the beaches.. The enforcer breaks their cat's neck right in front of their sons to send the message.

Disaster movies always start with the government ignoring the advice of a scientist