Federal Response
Congress
Legislation introduced by Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Alex Padilla (D-CA) to reallocate unspent COVID-19 relief funds towards infrastructure and disaster relief passed the Senate on October 19. The bipartisan “State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Fiscal Recovery, Infrastructure, and Disaster Relief Flexibility Act” (S.3011) would allow governments to use the $350 billion Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund allocated in the American Rescue Plan Act to provide emergency relief from natural disasters or the negative economic impacts of natural disasters, including temporary emergency housing, food assistance, financial assistance for lost wages, or other immediate needs. The bill would also extend the deadline for using the funds to December 31, 2024. A companion bill (H.R.5735) has been introduced in the House.
The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee at a session on October 27 passed five bills to reform the disaster recovery system. The bills address separate elements of how FEMA responds and helps communities prepare for disasters, including wildfire recovery grants, case management for disaster survivors, disaster mitigation, and resiliency standards. Learn more here.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Are you a housing provider in or near a disaster-impacted area? If you have vacant units, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) wants to know! The agency is operating a pilot program to collect information on alternative housing for those displaced from their homes by disasters. Let HUD know via their survey form here. Filling out this form is completely non-binding, and information will be shared directly with HUD offices and FEMA.
HUD’s Disaster Recovery and Special Issues Division (DRSI) published on October 28 Volume 4 of its newsletter, the DRSI Digest.
Reporting
The Washington Post Magazine delves into the trauma experienced by survivors of the Camp Fire in 2018, highlighting the chronic and long-term mental health needs of disaster survivors. A study from the University of California San Diego published in February found that a significant number of Camp Fires survivors were suffering from various mental health disorders, particularly PTSD and depression. The Washington Post recently reported on the impact of climate disasters on our country’s mental health system and the critical need to adapt the system.
Hurricanes
Southerly Magazine explores how the Hurricane Ida Sheltering Program – a new state initiative to provide non-congregate shelters for disaster survivors near their homes as they navigate federal aid programs – could be a model for future disasters. Generally, states can act more quickly than FEMA and have more flexibility to screen applicants and provide temporary housing.
At the request of Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards, FEMA extended the deadline for Hurricane Ida survivors to apply for Individual Assistance to November 29. Additionally, the deadline for New Jersey homeowners and renters to apply for FEMA Individual Assistance for damages from Hurricane Ida has been extended to December 6, 2021.
HUD on October 27 announced federal disaster assistance is available for residents in Mississippi and Delaware impacted by Hurricane Ida.
President Biden approved a Major Disaster Declaration for Connecticut, making federal funding available for individuals affected by Hurricane Ida in Fairfield and New London counties, including the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and the Mohegan Tribal Nation.
Wildfires
An op-ed in the Los Angeles Times highlights the disproportionate impact of California’s climate crisis on the half a million undocumented farmworkers in the state. The author, Jean Guerrero, contends that without policies that provide a pathway to citizenship and a social safety net that includes hazard pay and disaster insurance, these essential farmworkers will be further devastated by the worsening climate crisis.
Join the DHRC’s weekly calls on Tuesdays at 3 pm ET to hear updates from members on disaster recovery efforts from around the country, share best practices, and stay up to date on the latest federal changes to the disaster recovery response framework. Register at: https://bit.ly/34Efwsa