Hurricane Helene
Mecklenburg County Commissioners in North Carolina have created a “Quick Buy” program that allows the county to purchase homes that have been “substantially damaged” beyond repair by Hurricane Helene. Participation in the buyout program, which is funded with $8.5 million, is voluntary, and residents may instead use grants to demolish or elevate their homes on their own.
North Carolina residents are advocating for Governor Roy Cooper to implement a utilities shutoff moratorium in the wake of Hurricane Helene. This mandate would prevent energy companies from disconnecting survivors’ access to electricity as they recover from the effects of the storm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Cooper prohibited utility shutoffs statewide, which has left residents wondering why the same approach has not been adopted in the wake of Helene. Some companies, like Duke Energy, are voluntarily suspending disconnections and late fees; however, the company has not made any public statement announcing this assistance.
More than 211,000 households in South Carolina will receive $154 million in federal disaster assistance from FEMA. About $11 million of this amount will go to home repair housing grants, with most of the funds going to Other Needs Assistance grants to assist other serious storm-related needs. FEMA has opened nine disaster recovery centers across the state; residents across 28 counties and the Catawba Indian Nation are also eligible to apply for FEMA assistance. Aid can be found at disasterassistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA App.
Hurricane Milton
Many Floridians are facing severe damage recovery costs following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Residents of mobile homes in Pasco County have received eviction notices after their units were damaged by the storms. Within affected areas, less than 25% of residents had flood insurance prior to the storms, and most home insurance policies do not cover flood damage. Hurricane Milton was classified as a “wind and rain event” (rather than a “flood,” which is typically covered by house insurance), and many insurance companies may not protect clients from water damage due to policy details.
In Volusia County, damage caused by the hurricanes is exacerbating a preexisting housing crisis. While the county created several temporary emergency shelter programs, these programs are not designed or equipped to match the amount of aid needed by residents. Permanently authorized shelter sites and food pantries have hit already full capacity and will remain at capacity “indefinitely because there is simply not enough available housing,” says Savannah-Jane Griffin, CEO of the Neighborhood Center of West Volusia.
Hurricanes are also changing the real estate market in Florida. The state “recovers much faster than you think,” says Florida Realtors chief economist Brad O’Connor, but recovery often brings demographic change. After each storm, interest rates and home prices rise, meaning areas often affected by hurricanes are experiencing increases in wealthy residents, as only such buyers can afford the new housing prices. Studies show that many survivors wish to return to their communities, but often only those with greater financial resources can afford to do so.
Congressional and National Updates
Disaster assistance remains one of the top “to-dos” on Congress’ list as members return for the lame duck session in mid-November. There is broad support for a disaster aid package, but top-line numbers are not available, though they likely run into the tens of billions of dollars. In addition to HUD assistance for long-term recovery efforts in areas impacted by disasters in 2023 and 2024, Congress must pass funding for FEMA – which is rapidly being depleted of its funds - and the Small Business Administration’s Disaster Loan Program, which is currently out of funds following Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
A story in Marketplace reflects on the length of time necessary to rebuild housing and points to the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act” as a vehicle for speeding the arrival of congressionally approved funds to disaster survivors. The bill, drafted with the assistance of NLIHC and the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC), would permanently authorize the program, removing several administrative hurdles currently in place.
FEMA has confirmed reports circulating in far-right media sources that one FEMA supervisor instructed FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance teams – which directly canvass homes in disaster-impacted areas to assist in registering impacted individuals for FEMA – to avoid homes with political signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump. The agency confirmed that the supervisor was terminated because of their actions. The story prompted two hearings on November 19 – one in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and the other in the House Oversight Committee. The article follows a series of maneuvers taken against FEMA by far-right media that spread misinformation during and directly after the arrival of Hurricane Helene and that resulted in FEMA employees in multiple states being threatened with violence by right-wing extremists.
Alaska
Flooding in Kotzebue, Alaska on October 22 damaged dozens of buildings, forced 80 residents to evacuate to shelters, and completely destroyed at least two homes. Tide lines of up to four feet above average contributed to the highest water levels some Kotzebue residents have ever experienced. Relief efforts were further complicated by bad conditions that forced the Ralph Wien Memorial Airport to close for two days.
California
The Mountain Fire in Ventura County has burned over 20,000 acres, destroyed or damaged nearly 300 structures, and still threatens more than 4,600 structures. The fire, which began on September 6, prompted the evacuation of thousands of residents. Many residents were displaced for more than a week. Firefighters completed 136 rescues in the first five days of the fire, and six injuries have been reported.
Across California, more than 30,000 customers lost power (mostly as preventative measures) due to both the Mountain Fire and the Broad Fire in Malibu. The Broad Fire also began on November 6 and had been 98% contained by the following day after burning approximately 40 acres and damaging two structures. Wind gusts of up to 80 mph in Santa Ana have led to “critical fire weather conditions” across the state.
Hawai’i
FEMA has extended housing support for survivors of the Maui wildfire by one year. The Individuals and Households Programs, initially set to end in February 2025, has been extended to February 2026. Survivors who will continue to utilize the extended programs will be expected to start paying rent based on their financial ability, as determined by HUD’s Fair Market Rent rates. Senator Brian Schatz explained that “FEMA’s extension means survivors will continue to have homes for their families for the foreseeable future. But let’s be clear about what’s needed – building temporary housing so that survivors have stable roofs over their heads as they recover.”
Nebraska
The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has awarded up to $850,000 through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program to two Housing Resilience Planning projects. The projects will develop resilient affordable housing units in areas impacted by flooding in 2019. The Sarpy Multijurisdictional Resilience Planning Project will help incorporate sustainable and climate-resilient elements into future affordable housing development projects in Sarpy County, which sustained large amounts of damage from the floods. The Western Knox Communities Housing Resilience Study will increase the amount of available information about flood zones, building costs, and affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income families in rural communities.
Nevada
The Callahan Fire near Reno has prompted the evacuation of 3,000 people. The fire, which began on November 11, is 70% contained after three days, during which it burned more than 65 acres. Truckee Meadows Fire Protection Chief Charles Moore stated that wind-driven fires such as this one often make containment difficult due to the possibility of fires “jumping” the containment lines. Around 200 personnel from 20 agencies have been deployed and have been assisted by incoming rains. While it is too early to know the full extent of the damage, at least one home and a few structures have been destroyed.
New Mexico
Extreme flash flooding in Roswell, New Mexico on October 19 killed two people and required more than 300 fire rescues from first responders. The nearly six inches of rain broke both the city’s sewer system and its record for the most amount of rain in a single weather event. FEMA estimates approximately 275 confirmed and 450 likely damaged homes. About 10% of affected households reported that they have adequate insurance to cover the damage. President Biden and Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham declared the incident a federal disaster, meaning assistance can be requested at DisasterAssistance.gov, by calling 1-800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA App.
Oklahoma
Tornados in the Oklahoma City region damaged at least 100 houses, according to Governor Kevin Stitt. Multiple tornados struck on the morning of November 3, injuring at least 11 people and prompting tornado warnings across the state. More than 20,000 customers lost power across Oklahoma and northern Texas due to the storms.