In its FY19 funding bill, the Senate Committee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD) directs HUD to report to the House and Senate appropriations committees on the steps it will take to operationalize its Office of Disaster and Emergency Management. HUD was given 30 days from enactment of the bill to show how it will improve its overall response to emergencies and disasters.
As part of FEMA’s 2011 “National Disaster Recovery Framework,” HUD is required to coordinate recovery and preparedness activities with federal, state, and local partners and to facilitate the delivery of federal funding to implement sustainable and resilient housing solutions for disaster-affected areas. The office was established by HUD to address this requirement, but little progress has been made towards implementation.