In the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and the White House have sought to emphasize to wary residents of Puerto Rico that a whole-of-government response will be undertaken to address the disaster. FEMA pre-positioned several hundred employees on the island prior to Fiona’s landfall, and the agency has sought to be much more expedient in addressing the island’s needs as compared to its response and recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria in 2017 – efforts that are still ongoing. However, despite recent changes emphasizing the importance of equity within the agency, as well as changes to assistance application requirements around title documentation that have led to 10,000 additional individuals becoming eligible for assistance during last year’s hurricane season, advocates have been calling for more substantial reforms in order to avoid the sort of slow response that followed Hurricane Maria.
That the agency continues to have a long way to go has been shown by FEMA’s initial recommendation that only a portion of Puerto Rico be approved for assistance to individuals. The municipalities left out are home to large communities of afro-Puerto Ricans, immigrants, and households with low incomes that were hit hard by Hurricane Fiona. FEMA’s decision generated an immediate response from advocacy groups, including NLIHC and Ayuda Legal Puerto Rico, which together sent a joint letter to FEMA demanding an expansion of the assistance area. As a result, FEMA announced on September 27 that it had approved assistance for the entire island.
Hurricane Ian
Hurricane Ian is expected to make a second landfall in the U.S. today along the South Carolina coast. The National Hurricane Center is expecting life-threatening storm surge and flooding in coastal areas.
The Red Cross reports that more than 33,000 people sought refuge in approximately 260 evacuation shelters across Florida during Hurricane Ian. Those numbers are expected to increase as power outages continue.
Before landfall, Florida was expected to see winds of more than 130 mph along its Gulf coast, from Naples and Fort Myers in the south to Tallahassee and Apalachicola in the north. Ian made landfall in southwest Florida at 3:29 pm on September 28 as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 150 mph. At least six deaths in Florida are being blamed on Hurricane Ian, and hundreds have been rescued from flooded homes. However, authorities are just beginning to assess the damage.
FEMA has approved Individual Assistance for Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hillsborough, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Sarasota, and Seminole Counties. Survivors can apply for assistance here.
Fannie Mae is reminding homeowners and renters impacted by Hurricane Ian that mortgage assistance and disaster relief options are available – including payment suspension, forbearance, and mortgage assistance. You can make an appointment with Fannie Mae’s Disaster Response Network in both English and Spanish here.
Hurricane Fiona
Hurricane Fiona has caused flooding and catastrophic damage, with about 80% of Puerto Rico’s electricity customers being left without power last week. The Washington Post has compared the damage of Fiona with that caused by Hurricane Maria five years ago and finds that Puerto Rico remains ill-prepared. The Post further argues that politics has played a role in disaster recovery measures, especially regarding the privatization of energy services.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security officially issued a waiver of the “Jones Act” for the purposes of allowing tanker vessels with badly needed diesel fuel to dock at ports on the island on September 28. The Jones Act is a one-hundred-year-old colonial law that prevents any non-American ship from carrying cargo to Puerto Rico. The act has prevented an international vessel with a large cargo of diesel fuel from docking for the past week. Puerto Rican advocates pressed the administration for the waiver in fear that the ship would dock elsewhere, preventing access to the fuel that Puerto Ricans need to power generators amid the ongoing power outage on the island caused by Hurricane Fiona.
FEMA has approved Individual Assistance for the entire island of Puerto Rico. Survivors can apply for assistance here.
HUD issued waivers to decrease administrative requirements and broaden the use of multiple programs to help address the impact of Hurricane Fiona. Those programs include the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME), Housing Trust Fund (HTF), Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA), Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), and Continuum of Care (CoC) programs.
Fannie Mae is reminding homeowners and renters impacted by Hurricane Fiona that mortgage assistance and disaster relief options are available – including payment suspension, forbearance, and mortgage assistance. You can make an appointment with Fannie Mae’s Disaster Response Network in both English and Spanish here.
Congressional and Executive Actions
The U.S. Senate voted to move forward with a stopgap funding bill – known as a “continuing resolution” (CR) – on September 27. The CR included a number of disaster recovery measures. Chief among them is a provision supplying nearly $2 billion in HUD long-term disaster recovery funds for disasters occurring in 2021 and 2022. In addition, the bill includes $2.5 billion for recovery from the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire – the largest fire in New Mexico’s history – which occurred earlier this year after a controlled blaze started by federal forestry management spiraled out of control. The money will be used as a restitution fund for victims of the fire. Finally, the bill allows funding for the Disaster Relief Fund to be apportioned up to the rate necessary for the agency to respond effectively to disasters occurring in 2022. The CR now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives.
NLIHC and its Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC) have endorsed the “Disaster Survivor Fairness Act,” a bill introduced by Representative Dina Titus (D-NV) and Representative Garret Graves (R-LA) that would create a universal application for disaster assistance, expand FEMA’s repair standards and eligible household projects, create front facing dashboards for disaster assistance information, and more. The bill is expected to reach the House floor soon.
State and Local
Alaska
President Biden approved Governor Michael Dunleavy’s request for a federal disaster declaration to support Western Alaska’s recovery from the impact of Typhoon Merbok on September 17 and 18. With the approval, funding is now available to provide assistance to governments, tribes, individuals and organizations, including grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the storm.
Illinois
Between 20 and 23 East St. Louis families are still displaced from their homes two months after mass flooding disrupted communities across the St. Louis metro. According to the United Way of Greater St. Louis, flooding affected an estimated 700 homes region-wide, and residents filed more than 14,000 requests for assistance in the first four weeks after the flood. While the immediate emergency response focused on short-term housing solutions, food and water resources, and financial assistance, the current focus is on home recovery.
Kentucky
The Mayfield-Graves County Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG)claims that of the housing in the Mayfield community destroyed by the December tornado, 70% was rental housing. With many residents “essentially homeless,” the LTRG hopes to reclaim vacant properties and rent those homes to people in need of housing.
Governor Andy Beshear created an advisory council to help guide responses to natural disasters and prepare communities for future disasters with the goal of being ready for whatever disaster comes next. Floyd County has already formed a committee to help return flood victims to normal life.
FEMA extended the deadline to apply for federal disaster assistance to October 28 for Eastern Kentucky homeowners and renters who saw their property damaged or washed away by the July floods.
Missouri
Residents affected by the historic flooding more than two months ago in the St. Louis region have until October 7 to apply for FEMA assistance. Residents report receiving rental assistance from FEMA days after applying. Residents who have already received assistance can ask for additional help if they are still in need.
North Carolina
Authorities are asking families in the southeastern region of the state to prepare ahead of Hurricane Ian’s arrival by creating family communication plans, having emergency kits, and checking local news sources for updates.
To support the victims of Hurricane Ian in Georgia, North Carolina nonprofit Hearts with Hands is sending heavy equipment, a full trailer, and other items to wait at a campsite in the state until the storm blows over.
Oklahoma
September 28 is the last day for Oklahoma residents to apply for FEMA disaster recovery assistance for help recovering from damage sustained in May’s storms and flooding.
Oregon
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is supporting western Oregon’s recovery from wildfires two years ago with an incremental award of $4.5 million to provide disaster-relief jobs, employment training, and supportive services. Since 2020, DOL has awarded $11 million for the project.
Tennessee
The American Red Cross – Tennessee Region is recruiting new volunteers and offering fast-track shelter training in preparation for Hurricane Ian. In addition to helping respond to home and apartment fires, volunteers also provide preparedness services and information before disaster strikes and assist those who have experienced a disaster with their recovery. Volunteers are being deployed to respond to Hurricane Ian, as well as support response efforts in Puerto Rico and Alaska and to the wildfires in California.