During the most recent national call on coronavirus, disasters, housing, and homelessness, experts discussed the federal response to the latest natural disasters. Shannon Singleton from Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s office, Alison Eisinger of the Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, Seana O’Shaughnessy of the Community Housing Improvement Program in California, Margot Kushel from Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiatives at University of California San Francisco, and Alfredo Cruz from HousingLOUISIANA provided field updates.
NLIHC’s Diane Yentel and Noah Patton shared updates on FEMA’s response to the wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington state and Hurricane Laura in Louisiana, and shared NLIHC’s letter to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor. The letter urges Administrator Gaynor to immediately approve state requests to activate all available programs and resources to assist with response and recovery, including the Disaster Housing Assistance Program to provide longer-term direct rental assistance and case management services to people experiencing homelessness and the lowest-income survivors. NLIHC published a factsheet on using FEMA funding for non-congregate shelter in response to the wildfires and pandemic.
Sarah Saadian of NLIHC and Chrishelle Palay of the Houston Organization Movement for Equity (HOME) Coalition provided an overview of the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition’s report “Fixing America’s Broken Disaster Recovery System, Part I: Barriers to a Complete and Equitable Recovery” and “Part II: Policy Framework Reform Recommendations.” NLIHC’s Sarah Saadian gave an update on a COVID-19 Congressional relief bill and disaster supplemental bill.
NLIHC hosts national calls on Coronavirus, Disasters, Housing, and Homelessness every week. On today’s call, we will be joined by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI). Register for today’s call (Monday, September 21 at 2:30 pm ET) at: https://tinyurl.com/ru73qan
Watch a recording of the September 14 call at: tinyurl.com/y2jb5jzu
Access presentation slides at: tinyurl.com/yxhel3d4