FEMA
Recent announcements by FEMA suggest the agency may utilize additional funding to protect communities from extreme heat and dangerous climate impacts via its Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. However, the use of funding for these purposes may face complications. The agency told reporters that while such funding can be used to establish community cooling centers, the funds cannot be used to operate them.
The Congressional Research Service released a report on how FEMA programs and other disaster recovery programs can be used to address extreme heat and its consequences.
Former Acting FEMA Administrator Robert Fenton was named the White House National Monkeypox Response Coordinator.
State and Local
Alabama
The rural housing community of William McKinley Branch Heights in Eutaw, AL, was struck by a tornado nearly four months ago. Yet FEMA denied a major disaster declaration, and no volunteer groups exist in the area to assist with recovery in Greene County, one of the lowest-income parts of the state. Advocates worry that such difficult recoveries represent a new normal.
California
Having already claimed four lives and forced thousands to evacuate, the McKinney Fire continues to rage in northern California. While rain this week could help dampen the fires, lightning could spark more blazes.
Florida
Panama City Mayor Greg Brudnicki published an op-ed in The Hill calling for the U.S. Senate to pass the “Resilient AMERICA Act,” which would speed reimbursement for disaster recovery expenses to local governments.
Kentucky
Following intense flooding that claimed 37 lives and destroyed hundreds of homes in eastern Kentucky, a new risk has emerged: extreme heat that is settling over the region as many remain without power.
Louisiana
HUD highlighted efforts to assist Lafayette in rebuilding after the catastrophic 2016 floods. By utilizing HUD programs such as the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, the city was able to create a 105-unit housing complex in a former soda bottling plant.
Montana
Disaster recovery centers continue to open in Yellowstone County, which saw intense flooding last month.
Missouri
FEMA announced that it will assist Missouri in conducting flood damage assessments following flooding in St. Louis last week. The assessments will be used to determine whether the disaster qualifies for additional federal assistance.
North Carolina
The North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) is inviting the public to provide feedback on an action plan for spending $7.9 million in HUD long-term disaster recovery funding for Tropical Storm Fred recovery in areas of western North Carolina.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolfe and officials with the state’s Department of Community and Economic Development toured an apartment complex developed with HUD long-term recovery funding after flooding occurred in Columbia County during Tropical Storm Lee in 2011.
Texas
The Houston Department of Housing and Community Development is gathering information about the community impacts of last year’s Winter Storm Uri. Feedback can be provided here.
Resources and Research
A polling memo released late last month by Data for Progress found that voters across the political spectrum remain concerned about the impact of extreme weather events that are growing in frequency and intensity. At the same time, voters are nearly unanimous in the opinion that the federal government is not doing enough to assist disaster survivors, who are more likely to be low-income, Black, Latino, Indigenous, homeless, or disabled.