Congress

The House Homeland Security Committee will hold a hearing on Preparedness, Response, and Rebuilding:  Lessons from the 2017 Disasters on March 15.  Members will have the opportunity to direct questions to a panel of federal witnesses and state/local stakeholders that include FEMA Administrator Brock Long (his first appearance before the Committee), San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz Soto, and state/territorial government representatives from emergency operations in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico.  A full list of speakers along with the option to live-stream this hearing can be found here.

HUD

HUD is asking for feedback on its draft National Mitigation Investment Strategy. A HUD representative will join the Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition’s national call on March 15 to provide an overview of the strategy and suggest ways organizations and advocates can help improve it.  Everyone is welcome to join a special meeting of the DHRC Policy Working Group on Thursday, March 22, at 12:30pm to discuss the National Mitigation Investment Strategy and to collect feedback, comments, and suggestions that we can include in our public comments. If you would like to participate, please let Sarah Mickelson (smickelson@nlihc.org) know so that she can share call-in information with you.  Attached are the draft of that document and a fact sheet.

HURRICANE MARIA

FEMA

The Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) Program for Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria has been extended until May 14.  This program that provides hotel vouchers was scheduled to end on March 20.  The extension does not come without restrictions.  It will only be granted to families who are already benefiting from the program and to those who qualify under new requirements established by Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello.

Read previous Disaster Housing Recovery updates at: http://nlihc.org/issues/disaster