The NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) hosted a national disaster webinar on November 15 to hear updates about national, state, and local disaster response efforts following Hurricanes Ian and Fiona. Listeners heard from Elvin Louren-Torries, Kate Bulger, and Timothy Carpenter, who are members of Fannie Mae’s Disaster Response Network, which provides financial and disaster recovery counseling to homeowners and renters impacted by disasters. The network’s counselors are available to help disaster survivors create personalized action plans, explain mortgage relief programs, provide financial coaching, and support clients’ disaster recovery efforts.
Next, Madeline Sloan from Texas Appleseed discussed a report authored recently by several DHRC members, “But Next Time: Storm Survivors Demand Overhaul of Disaster Recovery System.” The report outlines reforms that can be enacted to prevent repeats of the botched recoveries that followed Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Harvey, and Hurricane Maria. Gladys Cook of the Florida Housing Coalition explained how survivors of Hurricane Ian are faring and gave suggestions about how to gather important information following disasters. Veronica Gonzalez from Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico outlined the current issues in Puerto Rico, where imprecisely written denial letters from FEMA are stymying the efforts of disaster survivors to quickly appeal adverse decisions by FEMA.
The next – and final – national disaster webinar of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season will be held on Tuesday, November 29. Those interested in joining the webinar can register here.
Find a recording of the November 15 webinar at: https://tinyurl.com/22pbb9jr
Find slides from the November 15 webinar at: https://tinyurl.com/3sp7pazu