ICF Toolkit on the HUD Exchange. ICF developed this toolkit to plan for and then utilize disaster recovery resources for the homeless after a disaster. The toolkit is located here and the most applicable section for those that are engaged in disaster recovery efforts is the Recovery Guide located here. Our partner at ICF states, “In a lot of cases, funding often doesn’t get directed to the most vulnerable populations in part because governments receiving DR dollars don’t know they can be used that way.”

On January 8, U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) called on FEMA to provide stability for displaced Puerto Rican families by extending the Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program through the end of the 2018 school year. Funding was initially set to expire on January 15 but has now been extended through March 20.  “I saw firsthand during my visit last week the ongoing economic and humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico, where much of the island still lacks power and clean water,” said Senator Blumenthal, “and the federal response has been a shameful disgrace.”  Acknowledging that extending TSA through June is a temporary stop-gap, he also called for FEMA and HUD to begin to work together to provide longer-term housing solutions, including tapping into existing networks of local housing authorities to provide rental assistance and case management services. In October, Senators Blumenthal and Bill Cassidy (R-LA) wrote to FEMA to urge the agency to enter into an interagency agreement with HUD to allow displaced families in Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida and the Virgin Islands to access housing assistance. FEMA has yet to respond. 

WILDFIRES

FEMA

California

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • $4,327 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $14,253,597 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $8,761,899 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $5,491,699 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed. 

HURRICANE MARIA

FEMA

Puerto Rico

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • $401,921 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $870,522,124 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $464,469,384 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $406,052,740 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $491,959,411 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated, all for emergency work (Categories A-B)**

 *Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

U.S. Virgin Islands

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 8,507 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $23,526,790 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $17,636,970 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $5,889,821 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $113,948,279 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated, all for emergency work**
  • $105,979,860 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) obligated**
  • $554,872 Permanent Work (Categories C-G) obligated**

 *Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

HURRICANE IRMA

FEMA

Florida

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 767,130 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $971,780,868 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $669,101,344 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $302,679,524 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $12,848,523 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated, all for emergency work (Categories A-B)**
  • $479,226 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) obligated**

 *Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects

Georgia

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 9,267 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $12,967,286 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $9,524,963 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $3,442,323 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $1,392,617 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated**
  • $800,406 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) obligated**
  • $41,210 Permanent Work (Categories C-G) obligated**

 *Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

Puerto Rico

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 1,251 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $2,801,866 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $1,414,247 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $1,387,620 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $2,871,448 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated, all for emergency work**
  • $2,871,448 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) obligated**

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects

U.S. Virgin Islands

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 7,130 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $24,009,022 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $19,064,096 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $4,944,926 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $4,429,729 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated*
  • $4,407,184 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) – Dollars Obligated**

*Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects

HURRICANE HARVEY

FEMA

Texas

By the Numbers: (as of 1/10/18)

  • 366,437 Individual Assistance (IA) applications approved*
  • $1,517,098,921 Individual & Household Program (IHP) approved*
  • $1,155,214,727 Housing Assistance (HA) approved*
  • $361,884,194 Other Needs Assistance (ONA) approved*
  • $504,353,860 Total Public Assistance Grants (PA) obligated**
  • $440,685,269 Emergency Work (Categories A-B) obligated**
  • $730,466 Permanent Work (Categories C-G) obligated**

 *Assistance dollars approved but not necessarily disbursed.

**Funds made available to the state via electronic transfer following FEMA’s final review and approval of Public Assistance projects.

Read previous disaster housing recovery updates and recommendations at: http://nlihc.org/issues/disaster