Additional Disaster Housing Recovery Updates - November 16, 2020

The NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition is convening and supporting disaster-impacted communities to ensure that federal disaster recovery efforts reach all impacted households, including the lowest-income and most marginalized people who are often the hardest-hit by disasters and have the fewest resources to recover.  

Guidance, Resources, & Events

FEMA announced it released a Spanish language version of “Planning Consideration: Disaster Housing,” which aims to provide guidance to government and private sector officials on housing-specific planning recommendations that may be applied when developing or updating housing plans in the context of a disaster or emergency.

Hurricane Eta

President Trump approved an Emergency Declaration for Florida (EM-3551-FL) making federal disaster assistance available to the areas affected by Hurricane Eta. Federal funding is available for 13 counties on a 75% federal cost-sharing basis for emergency protective measures limited to direct federal assistance and reimbursement for mass care including evacuation and shelter support.

Hurricanes Laura & Delta

FEMA announced five additional Louisiana parishes are eligible for Individual Assistance. Homeowners and renters in Beauregard, Lafayette, Rapides, St. Landry, and St. Martin parishes may now apply for federal disaster assistance for uninsured and underinsured damage and losses resulting from Hurricane Delta.

FEMA announced free crisis counseling services offered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) are available for survivors of Hurricanes Delta and Laura. FEMA also announced hurricane survivors can request assistance from Disaster Legal Services, which provides free legal aid to low-income survivors who cannot afford to hire a lawyer after a disaster.

Hurricane Sally

More than 50 Baldwin County (Alabama) residents with special needs were brought to ARC’s training facility in the Robertsdale Industrial Park after being left homeless by Hurricane Sally. The facility was built as a special needs shelter following Hurricane Ivan in 2004. So far, ARC has found homes for 40 of the 53 residents displaced by Hurricane Sally.

Puerto Rico Severe Storm and Flooding

FEMA announced that President Trump approved a Major Disaster Declaration (DR-4571-PR) for Puerto Rico, making federal disaster assistance available to individuals in the Municipality of Arecibo affected by a severe storm and flooding on September 13.

Wildfires in the West

California

FEMA announced that wildfire survivors who received an initial rental assistance award may be eligible for an extension of that aid after two months, but they must request the extension.

Survivors in Fresno, Los Angeles, Madera, Mendocino, Napa, San Bernardino, San Diego, Shasta, Siskiyou, and Sonoma counties have until December 16 to register for federal disaster assistance. FEMA posted ten key facts about federal disaster that may be available to wildfire survivors.

The Chico Enterprise-Record reports the demand for housing and basic items after the devastating wildfires have pushed nonprofits, such as the Chico Housing Action Team (CHAT), into constant action in the past several months. “A lot of people have no resources, they’re totally dependent on whatever they can get from the county or the city. FEMA is not stepping up like they did with the Camp Fire…which is putting pressure on organizations like CHAT,” said CHAT board member Bob Trausch.