The following is a review of additional disaster housing recovery developments since the last edition of Memo to Members and Partners (for the article in the previous Memo, see 9/09).
Federal Action & National News
As of September 2019, the federal government has only spent one third of the $107 billion provided by Congress following the 2017 and 2018 disasters.
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have released policy guidance surrounding Hurricane Dorian.
Small cities continue to have a rocky road to recovery after natural disasters, facing barriers unlikely to faze larger metro areas.
California Wildfires
Some construction regulations and building codes are being debated as affordable housing is slowly being built to replace homes lost in the Camp Fire.
The California Commission on Access to Justice has a released a new report looking at disasters’ effect on an individual’s access to counsel in rural areas.
California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) signed a law exempting wildfire survivors from the state’s solar-panel requirements.
Hurricane Michael & Hurricane Dorian
Florida
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) applauded the efforts of Floridians to provide assistance for the Bahamas as the country deals with catastrophic damage from Hurricane Dorian.
While Panama City officials worked with FEMA in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael to facilitate quicker execution of relief strategies, the recovery has continued to be slow.
An affordable, workforce-housing project in Lakelands has been given the green light by the city council. The project will be paid for with Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funding.
Georgia
Georgia’s farmers are finally receiving some relief as federal funds begin to flow to those impacted by Hurricane Florence.
Hurricane Florence & Hurricane Dorian
North Carolina
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper (D) called for federal disaster reform in an op-ed. The governor called on Congress to take action to improve the speed and efficiency of the disaster recovery process, including permanently authorizing the CDBG-DR program.
North Carolina disaster recovery officials called on the Trump Administration to release disaster recovery funds more quickly, saying it would make the state safer as peak hurricane season arrives.
Damage from Hurricane Florence is making North Carolina’s affordable housing crisis worse.
South Carolina
Charleston is digging itself out from under debris after Hurricane Dorian. The storm brought substantial flooding and a storm surge to the area.
An op-ed in The Charleston Post & Courier called for the state to prioritize flood abatement.
2017 Disasters
Louisiana Flooding: Instead of leaving flood-prone areas, Louisiana residents are choosing to move to higher buildings, lessening the chance of future flood damage.
Hurricane Harvey:
- Money is running out for a General Land Office program meant to aid victims of Hurricane Harvey in Southeast Texas. Officials say that even if funds do run out, individuals should still apply to gain a spot on the waiting list.
- The City of Houston okayed a $4.6 million contract with a private firm to conduct Hurricane Harvey damage inspections.
- The displacement of residents in cities like Beaumont and Port Arthur, TX, will likely have a substantial impact on the 2020 census, resulting in fewer resources for these historically low-income communities.
Hurricane Maria:
- Puerto Rico mayors made their anger known about the slow pace and inadequacy of the Puerto Rico recovery so far.
- The release of a new land-use map sparked anger amongst Puerto Ricans. The map would permit greater development in culturally sensitive, historic and environmental areas.