NLIHC and its Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) of more than 850 local, state, and national organizations support the bipartisan “Reforming Disaster Recovery Act” that would formally authorize the Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. Permanent authorization would ensure CDBG-DR more quickly reaches disaster survivors and their communities after a disaster and that this critical resource is better targeted to those with the greatest needs. The bill was introduced by Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI), Susan Collins (R-ME), Patty Murray (D-WA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Jon Tester (D-MT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ben Ray Luján (D-NM), Todd Young (R-IN), Cory Booker (D-NJ), and Alex Padilla (D-CA).
CDBG-DR is a vital tool that provides flexible, long-term resources needed to rebuild after a disaster and to prepare for future harm. The lack of formal authorization and consequential congressional inaction, however, leads to unnecessary delays that harm survivors and communities. Also, without additional safeguards and transparency provisions in the bill, recovery and mitigation efforts can be inconsistent and steer funds away from those most in need. Households with low incomes are the most impacted by disasters but receive the least amount of assistance. As climate change continues to create longer, more intense wildfire and hurricane seasons, the importance of ensuring low-income households can fully recover will only grow. The Reforming Disaster Recovery Act can help make that happen.
The 2019 version of the bill introduced by Representative Al Green (D-TX) was unanimously passed out of the House Financial Services Committee and approved by the full House of Representatives through a bipartisan vote. HUD and the Government Accountability Office under the past two administrations have agreed that permanently authorizing the CDBG-DR program would vastly improve how the most important long-term disaster recovery program operates.
Organizations are invited to join NLIHC and the National Association of Counties by signing onto a letter urging Congress to swiftly enact the Reforming Disaster Act.
You can read a fact sheet on the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act at: https://bit.ly/3U6buBZ
You can read the text of the bill at: https://tinyurl.com/3jbe9mc9
You can the sign-on to the letter at: https://p2a.co/vj1mkot