The following is a review of additional disaster housing recovery developments since the last edition of Memo to Members and Partners (for the article in the previous Memo, see 4/22).
Midwest Flooding
Nebraska
The major disaster declaration has been amended to authorize Public Assistance for 20 additional counties.
Officials with the City of Bellevue stated this week that all manufactured, modular and mobile homes damaged by flooding in Paradise Lake and Green Acres must be removed. Owners will have 10 days after receiving their letters to notify the Bellevue Permits Department of their plans to correct any issues.
Southeast Severe Weather
FEMA announced last week that Public Assistance is available in Alabama and Tennessee to support areas affected by the severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding that occurred February 19 through March 20. Public Assistance is also available in Kentucky to support areas impacted by February severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides.
2018 California Wildfires
Federal Response
FEMA set up its first mobile home site for survivors of the Camp Fire. The site, located at Bidwell Canyon Marina near Lake Oroville, can host 70 families.
The Immediate Disaster Case Management program is now available to Camp Fire survivors. Case managers will work with survivors to identify resources for unmet needs and help develop a recovery plan. Services are provided for a limited time in specific locations or by calling (855) 742-5998.
A professor at California State University, Chico wrote an op-ed for the New York Times about the recovery challenges in Paradise and the surrounding areas.
Hurricane Michael
Florida
Governor Ron DeSantis announced on April 19 that Bay County is receiving $18.5 million in recovery funding as part of President Donald Trump’s commitment to federally fund 100% of the first 45 days of Hurricane Michael recovery. Following reports that Hurricane Michael was updated to a Category 5 storm, Governor DeSantis requested an increase in the federal cost-share from 75% to 90% for the remainder of recovery.
2017 Disasters
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) published two new reports as part of its 2017 Hurricane Season series: “Federal Support for Electricity Grid Restoration in the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico” and “Actions Needed to Improve the Use of Post-Disaster Contracts to Support Response and Recovery.”
Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition member Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico wrote a policy brief (en español aquí) about the need for the Puerto Rican government to adopt mitigation and adaptation standards that prevent displacement and ensure low-income communities have access to much-needed resources to repair their homes.
Many homes remain uninhabitable in the U.S. Virgin Islands following Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The storm caused economic hardships – including increased costs of everything from food to fixing a roof – that are having significant impacts on mental health in the community.
Residents of the HUD-assisted Sandpiper Cove Apartments in Galveston, TX, are still dealing with mildew resulting from Hurricane Harvey. Tenants have also endured mold, rats, cockroaches and bedbugs, broken air conditioners and sewer back-ups.
An article in Radical Housing Journal, “The Land is Ours – Vulnerabilization and resistance in informal settlements in Puerto Rico: Lessons from the Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust,” examines the impact disasters and recovery have on low-income communities.