Nearly five years to the day after Hurricane Harvey made landfall on the Southeastern Texas coast, the Texas General Land Office (GLO) failed to meet a deadline on August 27 to respond to a request by HUD to enter into an agreement to fix aspects of the state’s plan to distribute HUD disaster mitigation funds to county governments. Previously, HUD had found that plan to be in violation of federal civil rights law. That finding, precipitated by a legal filing from NLIHC partners Texas Housers and the Northeast Action Collective, determined that the GLO’s plan for distributing disaster mitigation funds to areas impacted by Hurricane Harvey funneled funds to inland, majority white counties in violation of civil rights law. A clear indication of the discriminatory nature of the plan was that areas hit hard by Harvey like Houston, Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Corpus Cristi – all of them areas with large Black and Latino communities – received no funds during the initial award competition.
In response to the GLO’s decision to ignore the August 27 deadline to negotiate a settlement, advocates are now calling for HUD to withhold mitigation funds while the program remains non-compliant with federal civil rights law and refer the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice for enforcement of Title VI and the “Fair Housing Act.”
Meanwhile, many still await housing repairs or replacement homes. While groups of community-based recovery and advocacy organizations are still hard at work pushing for recovery resources and actively assisting neighborhoods in recovering, HUD funds for long-term recovery have been slow to disperse, in part because the program responsible for those funds is not permanently authorized at the federal level. Additional updates can be found below.
Congressional and Executive Action
Representative Al Green (D-TX) spoke to ABC13 in Houston regarding the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act,” which would permanently authorize HUD’s long-term disaster recovery programs and lead to quicker distribution of recovery funds following disasters.
President Biden announced appointments to the President’s National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) on August 31. NIAC advises the White House on ways to improve the resilience of the country’s critical infrastructure. Appointments include Madhu Beriwal of Florida – a disaster recovery consultant – and L. Vance Taylor, Chief of the Office of Access and Functional Needs at the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES).
Several Louisiana Members of Congress attended “LegisGator,” a business community event showcasing Southwest Louisiana to state and federal officials. Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and John Kennedy (R-LA) both vowed to continue pushing for a greater amount of funds for recovery from Hurricane Laura.
Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) visited Buchanan County, VA, on August 22. The county experienced devastating floods in July that led to the destruction of nearly 100 homes. Local officials continue to await a damage assessment by FEMA, which is needed for the eventual approval of a disaster declaration.
FEMA
September is National Preparedness Month!
The public comment period for FEMA’s new Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program and Policy Guide update will run through September 23. FEMA’s Hazard Mitigation Assistance Program provides funding for eligible mitigation activities that reduce disaster losses and protect life and property from future disaster damage. Revisions aim to create a document that is easier to navigate and use. Those interested are invited to participate in the update by submitting public comments and related materials.
State and Local Updates
California
The destruction of Paradise, CA, by the Camp Fire in 2017 highlighted the threats disasters pose to older adults living in areas of higher risk.
Kentucky
Disaster food benefits available via the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Disaster SNAP program are now available to those living or working in areas of eastern Kentucky damaged by catastrophic floods.
Louisiana
Seventeen years after Hurricane Katrina, environmental justice remains a matter of life and death for Black communities.
After the White House released a tweet commemorating Hurricane Katrina and linking it with climate change, Louisiana Republicans were none-to-pleased.
The Center for Public Integrity outlines the contentious process for helping the state-recognized Jean Charles Choctaw Nation respond to threats posed by climate change.
Mississippi
President Biden approved Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves’s request for a federal emergency declaration for the State of Mississippi as Jackson, its largest city, remains without water after being under a “boil water” advisory for a month following the failure of the city’s main water treatment plant. In a statement, the NAACP had publicly called on Governor Reeves to ask the President for aid.
New Mexico
Firefighters in New Mexico have finally contained the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire after four months and 530 square miles burned. More than 1,200 applications for individual assistance have been evaluated by FEMA in connection to the fire so far, but the agency will not say how many applications it has received or denied.
New York
The State of New York revealed its plan to spend over $41 million in HUD long-term disaster recovery funds meant to support recovery from Hurricane Ida. The plan outlines rental relocation, home repair, housing agency, and local government support programs.
New Jersey
In an event sponsored by the New Jersey Organizing Project, survivors of Hurricane Ida related their experiences while advocates called on Congress to pass the “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act,” which would permanently authorize HUD long-term recover funds and allow them to reach disaster survivors more quickly.
Oklahoma
Oklahomans effected by the tornados and severe storms that ripped through portions of the state in May now have until September 28 to apply for federal assistance.
Texas
Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared the severe flooding experienced by the Dallas-Fort Worth area to be a state disaster, freeing up state resources to support recovery efforts. More than 100 homes were damaged or otherwise affected by the storm.
Resources and Research
The Food Research and Action Center published a review of lessons from past hurricanes that could be used to improve the deployment of the Disaster-SNAP program.
The CDC released a toolkit for Infants and Parents entitled “Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies.” The toolkit, addressed to state and local policy makers and emergency managers, covers the needs and importance of provisioning for infant and young child feeding during disasters.
If you know of any news that you believe should appear in this update, please reach out to Noah Patton at [email protected]. As a reminder, the Disaster Recovery Working Group meets every Wednesday at 2:00 pm ET via Zoom. You can sign up to attend those meetings here.