Damages from flooding in the Midwest

USDA makes home repair grants available for disaster impact in rural Kentucky

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U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development announced the availability of grants to help people repair their homes that were damaged by historic flooding and other destructive weather in 2022.

The homes must be located in Presidentially declared disaster areas. People living in 26 Kentucky counties are eligible for the funding.

The grants are being made available through supplemental disaster funding under the Rural Disaster Home Repair Grant Program. Through this program, people may apply to receive grants of up to $40,675 directly from USDA to repair their homes.

For more information on how to apply, contact Rural Development Kentucky’s Single-Family Housing team at 859-224-7322 or visit https://www.rd.usda.gov/contact-page/kentucky-contacts.

Read the USDA Announcement

Notice of Funding Opportunity: Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings Grant Program

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EPA is seeking applications from eligible entities for a new federal grant program to support enhancing wildfire smoke preparedness in community buildings. The Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program will provide grants and cooperative agreements to states, federally recognized tribes, public preschools, local educational agencies, and non-profit organizations for the assessment, prevention, control or abatement of wildfire smoke hazards in community buildings and related activities.

The deadline to apply is May 9, 2023.

Apply Now

EPA will host an information session for potential applicants. During the webinar, EPA will provide an overview of the funding opportunity and the application process.

When: April 10, 3 – 4 p.m. ET

Register Now

Learn more about the Wildfire Smoke Preparedness in Community Buildings grant program.

March 31- April 1 Midwest and Southern Tornadoes 2023 Disaster Guide

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The National Weather Service confirmed more than 60 tornadoes hit the South and Midwest on Friday and Saturday, March 31 – April 1. The most affected states were Alabama, Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Most of these governors have announced emergency or disaster declarations for their state. As of Monday morning, there are at least 32 deaths and many more people injured from the tornadoes. Hundreds of homes and businesses were destroyed and have to be rebuilt.

HAC offers the following resources with information for nonprofits dealing with loss and damage from tornadoes: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located.

TIPS

Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP)
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or 1-800- 462-7585 TTY. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Check Your Home: Structural Elements

If your home has experienced damage, remember to the check the outside of your home before you enter. Look for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines, foundations cracks, missing support beams, or other damage. It may be safest to ask a building inspector of contractor to check the structure before you enter. Do not force jammed doors open, as they may be providing needed support to the rest of the home. Sniff for gas to ensure there are no natural or propane gas leaks. If you do have a propane tank system, make sure to turn off all valves and contact a propane supplier to check the system before you use it again. Check floors and ceilings to ensure they are not sagging from water damage; this can be especially hazardous. Take photographs of any damage as you may need them for insurance claims or FEMA claims later.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

To apply to disaster assistance funding, you must complete a multi-purpose application over the phone on FEMA’s toll-free national tele registration or online.
Toll-free helpline:
1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
For hearing impaired callers only:
1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service)
For more information on federal aid programs visit FEMA’s website. Aid may include rental payments, home repair, unemployment payments, loans, and other assistance.

American Red Cross Disaster Service

For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/get-help.html or by calling the Public Inquiry Center at 1-800-214-0441. If an emergency has forced you to evacuate your home, the Red Cross has a list of Open Shelters on its website.

State and Local Housing Agencies

Each state has at least one agency that administers state and federal programs to promote decent affordable housing for low-income individuals. Typically, these agencies and authorities administer some aspects of state or federal programs. Below is a list of relevant organizations in states impacted by the tornadoes.

Alabama
Alabama Housing Finance Authority
7460 Halcyon Pointe Drive, Suite 200
Montgomery, AL 36117
(334) 244-9200
http://www.ahfa.com/

Arkansas
Arkansas Development Finance Authority
P.O. Box 8023
Little Rock, AR 72203-8023
(501) 682-5900
http://www.arkansas.gov/adfa

 Illinois
Illinois Housing Development Authority
111 E Wacker Drive, Suite 1000
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 836-5200
http://www.ihda.org

Indiana
Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority
30 South Meridian Street
Suite 900
Indianapolis IN – 46204
(800) 872-0371 (Inside Indiana Only)
(317) 232-7777
https://www.in.gov/ihcda/home/

Mississippi
Mississippi Home Corporation
735 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202-1166
Phone: (601) 718-4642
Fax: (601) 718-4643
http://www.mshomecorp.com

Tennessee
Tennessee Housing Development Agency
502 Deaderick Street, Third Floor
Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: (615) 815-2200
Fax: (615) 564-2700
https://www.thda.org

Federal Emergency Management Agency Regional Offices

REGION IV
(serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
(770) 220-5200
www.fema.gov/region-iv-al-fl-ga-ky-ms-nc-sc-tn

REGION V
(serves Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin)
(312) 408-4427
https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/region-5

REGION VI
(serves Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas)
(940) 898-5399
https://www.fema.gov/about/organization/region-6

Department of Housing and Urban Development State Field Offices

Alabama
417 20th Street North,Suite 700
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 731 2617
Director Kenneth E. Free
https://www.hud.gov/states/alabama/offices

Arkansas
425 West Capitol Avenue, Suite 1000
Little Rock, AR 72201-3488
(501) 918-5700
Director: Wanda C. Merritt
https://www.hud.gov/states/arkansas/offices

Illinois
Ralph Metcalfe Federal Building
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604-3507
(312) 353-6236
Director: Kimberly Danna
https://www.hud.gov/states/illinois/offices

 Indiana
Minton Capehart Federal Building
575 North Pennsylvania Street, Suite 655
Indianapolis, IN 46204
(317) 226-6303
Director: Kimberly Wize
https://www.hud.gov/states/indiana/offices

Mississippi
Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building
100 West Capitol Street
Room 910
Jackson, MS 39269-1096
(601) 965-4757
Director: Adrenace Williams
https://www.hud.gov/states/mississippi/offices

Tennessee
200 Jefferson Suite 300
Memphis, TN 38103
(901) 544-3367
Acting Director: Kenneth E. Free
https://www.hud.gov/states/tennessee/offices

Rural Development State Offices

Alabama
Nivory Gordon, Jr., State Director
4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 601
Montgomery, AL 36106-3683
(334) 279-3400
www.rd.usda.gov/al

Arkansas
Jill Floyd, State Director
Federal Building
700 West Capitol Avenue, Room 3416
Little Rock, AR 72201-3225
(501) 301-3216
https://www.rd.usda.gov/ar

Illinois
Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, State Director
2118 West Park Court, Suite A
Champaign, IL 61821
(217) 403-6200
https://www.rd.usda.gov/il

Indiana
Terry Goodin, State Director
5975 Lakeside Boulevard
Indianapolis, Indiana 46278
(317) 290-3100
https://www.rd.usda.gov/in

Mississippi
Trina George, State Director
Federal Building, Suite 831
100 West Capitol Street
Jackson, MS 39269
(601) 965-4316
www.rd.usda.gov/ms
 
Tennessee
Arlisa Armstrong, State Director
441 Donelson Pike, Suite 310
Nashville, TN  37214
(615) 783-1300
www.rd.usda.gov/tn

State Emergency Management Agencies

Alabama
Alabama Emergency Management Agency
5898 County Road 41
Clanton, Alabama 35046-2160
Phone: (205) 280-2476
Fax: (205) 280-2442
https://ema.alabama.gov/

Arkansas
Building 9501
Camp Joseph T. Robinson
North Little Rock, AR 72199
(501) 683-6700
https://www.dps.arkansas.gov/emergency-management/adem/

Illinois
Illinois Emergency Management Agency
2200 South Dirksen Parkway
Springfield, Illinois 62703
(217) 782-2700
24-hour Response (217) 782-7860
https://www2.illinois.gov/iema/Pages/default.aspx

Indiana
Indiana Dept. of Homeland Security
Indiana Government Center-South, Room E208
302 W. Washington St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204-2739
(317) 232-2222
https://www.in.gov/dhs/emergency-management-and-preparedness/

Mississippi
P.O. Box 5644 Pearl, Mississippi
(601) 933-MEMA
24 hour emergency line: 1-800-222-MEMA(6362)
https://www.msema.org/

Tennessee
Tennessee Emergency Management Agency
3041 Sidco Dr.
Nashville, TN 37204
(615) 741-0001
https://www.tn.gov/tema.html

Southern Tornadoes 2023 Disaster Guide

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On March 24th, a supercell storm caused a major tornado that wreaked havoc on Mississippi and Alabama. A state of emergency has been declared with federal funds deployed to the affected area. As of Monday morning, 25 people have been killed, dozens injured, and 36,000 people are without power. Much of the devastation is concentrated in Rolling Fork, MS, a poor rural town with a population of about 2000. The storm was particularly destructive because of the wide nature of the tornado that occurred at night, which made it difficult to see forming. Severe weather continues on Monday.

HAC offers the following resources with information for nonprofits dealing with loss and damage from tornadoes: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located.

TIPS

Disaster Assistance Improvement Program (DAIP)
Individuals and business owners who sustained losses in the designated area can begin applying for assistance by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621- 3362 or 1-800- 462-7585 TTY. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. seven days a week until further notice.

Check Your Home: Structural Elements

If your home has experienced damage, remember to the check the outside of your home before you enter. Look for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines, foundations cracks, missing support beams, or other damage. It may be safest to ask a building inspector of contractor to check the structure before you enter. Do not force jammed doors open, as they may be providing needed support to the rest of the home. Sniff for gas to ensure there are no natural or propane gas leaks. If you do have a propane tank system, make sure to turn off all valves and contact a propane supplier to check the system before you use it again. Check floors and ceilings to ensure they are not sagging from water damage; this can be especially hazardous. Take photographs of any damage as you may need them for insurance claims or FEMA claims later.

 

RESOURCES

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account.
Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
For hearing impaired callers only:
1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service)
Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery.

 

FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY REGIONAL OFFICE REGION IV
(serves Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
3003 Chamblee Tucker Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
Main Number: 770-220-5200
Fax Number: 770-220-5230
www.fema.gov/region-iv-al-fl-ga-ky-ms-nc-sc-tn

 

STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Alabama
Alabama Emergency Management Agency
5898 County Road 41
Clanton, Alabama 35046-2160
Phone: (205) 280-2476
Fax: (205) 280-2442
https://www.ema.alabama.gov

Mississippi
P.O. Box 5644 Pearl, Mississippi
(601) 933-MEMA
24 hour emergency line: 1-800-222-MEMA(6362)
https://www.msema.org/

 

STATE HOUSING AGENCIES

Alabama
Alabama Housing Finance Authority
7460 Halcyon Pointe Drive, Suite 200
Montgomery, AL 36117
Phone: (334) 244-9200
http://www.ahfa.com/

Mississippi
Mississippi Home Corporation
735 Riverside Drive
Jackson, MS 39202-1166
Phone: (601) 718-4642
Fax: (601) 718-4643
http://www.mshomecorp.com

 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Alabama
417 20th Street North
Suite 700
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 731-2617
Director Kenneth E. Free
www.hud.gov/states/alabama

Mississippi
Dr. A. H. McCoy Federal Building
100 West Capitol Street
Room 910
Jackson, MS 39269-1096
(601) 965-4757
Director: Adrenace Williams
https://www.hud.gov/states/mississippi/offices

 

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Alabama
4121 Carmichael Road, Suite 601
Montgomery, AL 36106-3683
Phone: (334) 279-3400
Fax: (855) 304-8456
Nivory Gordon, Jr., State Director
www.rd.usda.gov/al

Mississippi
Federal Building, Suite 831
100 West Capitol Street
Jackson, MS 39269
Phone: (601) 965-4316
Fax: (601) 965-4088
Trina George, State Director
www.rd.usda.gov/ms

Executive Order Calls for Creating Rural Economic Opportunity

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Building on previous equity efforts that began his first day in office, an Executive Order issued by President Biden on February 16 asserts that the federal government will “invest in communities where Federal policies have historically impeded equal opportunity — both rural and urban — in ways that mitigate economic displacement, expand access to capital, preserve housing and neighborhood affordability, root out discrimination in the housing market, and build community wealth.”

The President’s directive also covers health, environmental justice, education, and other topics. It defines equity to include not only racial/ethnic and geographic equity, but also equitable treatment of individuals and communities based on religion, gender, gender identity and sexual preference, disability, and persistent poverty or inequality.

Particularly relevant to the work of HAC and our partners is the EO’s commitment to “build prosperity in rural communities”:

Agencies shall undertake efforts, to the extent consistent with applicable law, to help rural communities identify and access Federal resources in order to create equitable economic opportunity and advance projects that build community wealth, including by providing or supporting technical assistance; incentivizing the creation of good, high-paying union jobs in rural areas; conducting outreach to and soliciting input from rural community leaders; and contributing new resources and support to interagency programs such as the Rural Partners Network.

The EO tells federal agencies to establish Equity Teams, which will support their agencies’ external activities as well as training and diversity efforts with agency staff. A White House Steering Committee on Equity will coordinate overall activities.

 

Eligibility expanded for hazard mitigation revolving loan funds

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FEMA’s new Safeguarding Tomorrow Revolving Loan Fund grant program has been expanded, allowing American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, and U.S. Virgin Islands – as well as states, D.C., and Puerto Rico – to apply for grants to capitalize revolving loan funds for resilience-related activities. Twenty Tribal Nations are now eligible to receive funds directly from FEMA, and all federally recognized Tribes are eligible to get this funding through a state. The application process opened on February 1. For more information, contact FEMA staff, askcsid@fema.dhs.gov.

The Daily Yonder Q&A: What Data Tells Us About Rural Housing Cost Burdens

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This article first appeared on The Daily Yonder and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

by Olivia Weeks, The Daily Yonder
November 11, 2022

Editor’s Note: This interview first appeared in Path Finders, an email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each week, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Like what you see here? You can join the mailing list at the bottom of this article and receive more conversations like this in your inbox each week.

Lance George is the Housing Assistance Council’s director of research and information, an arm of that nonprofit which seeks to generate and improve access to reliable data about rural housing trends nationwide. Since 2020, a lot of airtime has been given to the rise of remote work and the subsequent relocation of urban professionals to smaller communities, as well as the complicated ramifications of the overheated housing market. I wanted to speak with George to get a better sense of how housing chaos has played out in rural spaces, and whether (or how) the major issues in small towns have actually changed, or actually stand apart from trends across the population-density-spectrum.

Enjoy our conversation about rural America’s loss of federally assisted affordable housing, the intersection of its growing racial diversity with increasing rental cost burdens, and the still-unknown effects of Covid-related demographic churn, below.

Olivia Weeks, The Daily Yonder: What was the outlook on rural housing issues prior to the start of the pandemic? What were the trends demanding most of your organization’s attention?

Lance George: Rural America and its housing issues have always been a microcosm of the nation’s larger housing conditions and dynamics. While there are some very unique elements to rural markets, housing affordability was probably the largest housing concern prior to the pandemic. Sometimes there is a misperception that housing costs are not as problematic in rural areas because housing prices are nominally lower. But pre-pandemic, some of the largest growth in housing cost burdens were in rural areas.

A second major concern pre-pandemic – that was also closely tied to affordability problems – was (and continues to be) the loss of federally assisted affordable housing in rural communities. In many rural areas these properties are among the only affordable rental housing. But for various business and market related reasons these developments are leaving the affordable housing market. These homes also serve some of rural America’s most vulnerable residents. As an example,  approximately two thirds of residents of USDA’s affordable rental properties are elderly and their average incomes are just above $13,000. These are households who literally and figuratively cannot afford to be displaced. We also know this trend continued and accelerated through the pandemic as chronicled in HAC’s research and report – Rural America is Losing Affordable Rental Housing at an Alarming Rate.

DY: How’d your focus shift throughout the past two years? Did any issues become more dire or more obvious?

LG: I like to say that HAC “helps” build homes and communities in rural America with “help” being the most important word. The community-based nonprofit organizations, municipalities and tribal entities do the real and important work of providing housing in their rural communities and HAC is there to assist them. So our immediate and most important response was to try and assist our nonprofit partners throughout the early tumultuous and “unknown-unknown” days of the pandemic. We quickly shifted our technical assistance and training, financial products, policy response and research to help meet their needs in such unprecedented times. HAC provided resources to bolster business continuity and assist these valuable entities to continue providing housing resources in their communities. While the pandemic is still present, we devoted an edition of HAC’s Rural Voices magazine to chronicling how Covid-19 Left Its Mark on Rural America and some of our partners’ responses, actions and innovations during the pandemic.

DY: I think most Americans, at this point, are familiar with the discourse about affordable housing, and in particular our country’s lack of it. Most of the coverage I’ve seen about the difficulties involved in building new housing – and especially non-luxury housing, which offers more of a profit incentive for builders – is focused on cities like New York and San Francisco. But what’s the housing stock like in small towns these days?

LG: As I noted before, I think many of the housing dynamics in rural America are very similar to the nation as whole. But there are some differences, and two major exceptions are rental housing and manufactured housing.

There is just a dearth of good quality and affordable rental housing in many rural communities that exacerbates housing challenges for renters. Rural renters tend to have lower incomes, less savings, fewer housing protections, and were more likely to have their jobs impacted by the pandemic. And we can see this in the occurrence of housing affordability problems. In the housing world, we use the term “Housing Cost-Burden” which means that a household spends more than 30 percent of their monthly income towards housing. The rate of housing cost-burden for rural renters is double that of owners and a larger share of rural renters pay more than half of their income towards housing costs.

Manufactured homes are an often overlooked and maligned component of our nation’s housing stock, but these homes are an important source of housing for millions of Americans, especially those with low incomes and in rural areas. Although the physical quality of manufactured housing continues to progress, the basic delivery system of how these homes are sold, financed, and managed is still in need of improvement to ensure that they are a viable and quality source of affordable housing. And while cost and convenience have been a hallmark of manufactured housing’s popularity, this type of housing has not been immune to the dramatic price increases we have seen across the housing spectrum during the pandemic. As an example, according to data from HUD, the average purchase price of a new manufactured home prior to the pandemic was about $86,000. Today, the average purchase price of a new manufactured home is roughly $123,000.

Source: HAC Tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s Manufactured Home Survey

Finally, I think it is important to mention the longer (and short) term trend of how race and ethnicity matters in rural housing markets. Rural America is – and has traditionally been – more racially and ethnically homogenous than the nation as a whole. There is a wide degree of variation in the geography of race in rural America, but there is also an unequivocal trend that most rural communities are becoming more racially diverse. The changing racial and ethnic landscape has wide-reaching implications across social, economic, and housing trends for rural communities.

Similar to national characteristics, nonwhite rural households have substantially lower homeownership rates than white non-Hispanic households. Approximately 77 percent of rural and small town white non-Hispanics own their homes while only 55 percent of nonwhite households own their homes. Black rural households (51 percent) and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders (49 percent) are the least likely groups to own their homes. At the same time, rural nonwhite households are nearly 8 percent more likely to own their homes than non-whites in the nation as a whole. As such, geographic isolation and relative segregation continue to be important components of poverty and substandard housing in many rural communities. Addressing disparity in access to affordable and quality housing must specifically center systemically marginalized racial-ethnic populations.

DY: What’s your sense of how accurate the narratives about remote workers moving to rural places during the pandemic were? Do we have data yet about how widespread those trends are and where they’ve been concentrated?

The effects of the pandemic on the rural housing markets are — in some ways — yet to be seen. (Photo courtesy of Housing Development Alliance.)

LG: Candidly, it’s still murky. And some of this lack of clarity is that we just don’t have as robust market data for rural areas. But there is no doubt there was some ‘churn’ in the population during the pandemic. From HAC’s preliminary analysis of mortgage activity, rural areas did appear to have some of the largest gains in new home loans between 2020 and 2021.

However, there was variation in that activity. Rural communities with natural amenities, retirement destinations, or near major metropolitan areas had the highest activity, and much of this activity was concentrated with higher income borrowers and more expensive housing. These were trends that were already happening in mortgage markets, they just accelerated over the past couple of years.

I am convinced there will be longer-term implications from the pandemic that we are not realizing yet. For example, we are just now starting to see some housing impacts from the longer-term demographic trends that were precipitated by the 2008 housing crisis

So yes, the ‘jury is still out.’

DY: Obviously the economy and the costs of housing right now are major sources of stress for a lot of Americans, but are there any policy changes or economic trends giving you hope lately?

LG: Many Americans were buoyed by large scale federal unemployment benefits and economic stimulus. Some of that federal investment is still making its way into many rural communities, while other pandemic-related resources have ended. It is our hope that rural communities and rural households who need it most will get their share of these resources.

But most of my optimism comes from those community-based housing entities I mentioned earlier. These are some of the most dynamic, innovative, and resourceful entities you will find in this nation. And pandemic or not, they’ve always had their ‘heads into the wind.’ They, and the communities they serve, have always shown remarkable resilience and perseverance. These attributes – as well as recognition of the need for rural-focused strategies and policy solutions – will be needed in an equitable recovery.

This interview first appeared in Path Finders, a weekly email newsletter from the Daily Yonder. Each Monday, Path Finders features a Q&A with a rural thinker, creator, or doer. Join the mailing list today, to have these illuminating conversations delivered straight to your inbox.

 

Resilience

Rural Communities Need More Disaster Relief

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The Center for American Progress has released two reports revealing how federal disaster relief does not reach the rural communities most vulnerable to climate risk and least able to prepare for disasters.

Some initial solutions include:

  • Invest up to 20 percent of grants in building lasting capacity, such as hiring local and long-term staff.
  • Target more noncompetitive project funding to low-capacity rural communities using metrics that measure physical and social vulnerability and capacity.
  • Increase rural competitiveness for national grants by making small and appropriately designed projects eligible.
  • Align grant eligibility criteria and application requirements among federal agencies and programs.
  • Provide agency assistance to help rural communities navigate the complex process of securing federal grants.
Read Both Reports

The Daily Yonder‘s Tim Marema interviews Susan L. Cutter, a professor and director of the USC’s Hazards Vulnerability & Resilience Institute studying the science of community resilience and vulnerability, about the unique challenges rural areas face when experiencing a disaster.

Read Interview

Hurricane Ian Disaster Guide

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Hurricane Ian hit Florida’s southwest coast as a Category 4 storm with 155 mph winds on Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Over 2.5 million residents across Florida are without power and many must boil their water. Lee and Charlotte counties were hit the hardest with major flooding and wind damage. The governor has declared a state of emergency and President Biden has ordered federal aid to support recovery efforts. The storm weakened as it moved northeast over the state and is expected to move off the coast Thursday and approach the coast of Georgia and South Carolina on Friday.

HAC offers the following resources with information for nonprofits dealing with loss and damage from Hurricane Ian: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located.

TIPS

Please keep in mind the following safety protocols for hurricanes and flooding:

  • Only call 911 if you have an immediate need for medical attention or evacuation assistance.
  • If you can’t get through to 911 on first try, keep calling.
  • DO NOT DRIVE through high water and DO NOT DRIVE AROUND BARRICADES! Just 2 feet of water can sweep your vehicle away.
  • DO NOT WALK through flood waters. Just 6 inches of moving water can knock you down. 4
  • If your home floods, STAY THERE. You are safer at home than trying to navigate flooded streets on foot.
  • If floodwaters rise around your car but the water is NOT MOVING, abandon the car and move to higher ground. Do not leave the car and enter MOVING water.
  • STAY AWAY from streams, rivers, and creeks during heavy rainfall. These areas can flood quickly and with little warning.
  • MOVE important items – especially important documents like insurance policies – to the highest possible floor. This will help protect them from flood damage.
  • DISCONNECT electrical appliances and do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water. You could be electrocuted.

This flooding event is a reminder that all residents in this area should carry flood insurance. Contact your insurance agent for more information about purchasing flood insurance or visit the National Flood Insurance Program at www.fema.gov/national-flood-insurance-program or call 1-888-379-9531. Please keep in mind that new insurance policies take 30 days to go into effect.

If your home has experienced damage, remember to check the outside of your home before you enter. Look for loose power lines, broken or damaged gas lines, foundations cracks, missing support beams, or other damage. It may be safest to ask a building inspector of contractor to check the structure before you enter. Do not force jammed doors open, as they may be providing needed support to the rest of the home. Sniff for gas to ensure there are no natural or propane gas leaks. If you do have a propane tank system, make sure to turn off all valves and contact a propane supplier to check the system before you use it again. Check floors and ceilings to ensure they are not sagging from water damage. This can be especially hazardous. Take photographs of any damage as you may need them for insurance claims or FEMA claims later on.

RESOURCES

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account.
Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
For hearing impaired callers only:
1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service)
Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery.

Fannie Mae Disaster Response Network:

English

Spanish

 

STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Florida

Florida Division of Emergency Management

2555 Shumard Oak Blvd.

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-2100

Phone: (850) 815-4000

https://www.floridadisaster.org/

Georgia

Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency

935 United Ave. SE

Atlanta, GA 30316-0055

Phone: (404) 635-7200

https://gema.georgia.gov/locations

South Carolina

South Carolina Emergency Management Division

Phone: (803) 737-8500

https://www.scemd.org/

 

STATE HOUSING AGENCIES

Florida

Florida Housing Finance Corporation

227 N Bronough Street, Suite 5000

Tallahassee, FL 32301-1367

Phone: (850) 488-4197

http://www.floridahousing.org

Georgia

Georgia Department of Community Affairs / Georgia Housing and Finance Authority

60 Executive Park South NE

Atlanta, GA 30329-2231

Phone: (404) 679-4940

http://www.dca.ga.gov

South Carolina

South Carolina State Housing Finance and Development Authority

300 Outlet Pointe Boulevard, Suite C

Columbia, SC 29210

Phone: (803) 896-9001

Fax: (803) 551-4876

http://www.schousing.com

 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Florida

    Jacksonville Field Office

Charles E. Bennett Federal Building

400 W. Bay Street, Suite 1015

Jacksonville, FL 32202

Phone: (904) 232-2627

Director: Alesia Scott-Ford

https://www.hud.gov/states/florida/offices

    Miami Field Office

Brickell Plaza Federal Building

909 SE First Avenue, Room 500

Miami, FL 33131-3028

Phone: (305) 536-4456

Director: Luis M. Rolle

Georgia

Atlanta Regional Office

Five Points Plaza Building

40 Marietta Street

Atlanta, GA 30303

Phone: (404) 331-5136

Regional Administrator: José Alvarez

Phone: (678) 732-2200

https://www.hud.gov/states/georgia/offices

South Carolina

Columbia Field Office

Dept. of Housing and Urban Development Strom Thurmond Federal Building

1835 Assembly Street, 13th Floor

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: (803) 765-5592

Director- Kristine Foye

https://www.hud.gov/states/south_carolina

 

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Florida

4500 NW 27th Avenue

Suite D-2

Gainesville, FL 32606
Phone: (352) 338-3400

Director: Lakeisha Hood

https://www.rd.usda.gov/fl-vi

Georgia

Stephens Federal Building

355 E. Hancock Avenue, Stop 300

Athens, GA 30601-2768

Phone: (706) 546-2162

Director: Reggie Taylor

https://www.rd.usda.gov/ga

South Carolina

Strom Thurmond Federal Building

1835 Assembly Street, Room 1007

Columbia, SC 29201

Phone: (803) 765-5163

Director: Dr. Saundra Glover

https://www.rd.usda.gov/sc

 

 

Hurricane Fiona Disaster Guide

/in , , , ,

Información en español aqui.

Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico’s southwest coast on Sunday, September 18, 2022 as a Category 1 storm. As the hurricane makes its way towards the Dominican Republic, the territory is still experiencing devastating flooding, power outages, massive landslides, and heavy rain, with as much as 30 inches of rain fall in some areas. President Joe Biden has declared a state of emergency and Puerto Rico’s governor Pedro Pierluisi says the government is working closely with FEMA as they continue to assess the damage. HAC offers the following resources with information for nonprofits dealing with loss and damage from Hurricane Fiona: Rural Resilience in the Face of Disaster site and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

Puerto Rican Officials have stated that the territory has shelters available for those that have been displaced by the storm. Although the island’s National Guard is currently conducting rescue operations, Governor Pierluisi urges residents to remain in their homes and shelters as officials work to respond to those in need.

If you or your family has been affected by Hurricane Fiona, or wish to help victims of the hurricane, organizations like Con PR Metidos, Red Cross, and Americares all have resources available. If you are in need of emergency, transient housing, you can text SHELTER and your Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find where the shelter closest to you is located.

Apply for FEMA Assistance by registering online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. FEMA Disaster Assistance Helpline answers questions about the help offered by FEMA, how to apply for assistance, or the information in your account.
Toll-free helpline: 1-800-621-FEMA (3362)
For hearing impaired callers only:
1-800-462-7585 (TTY)
1-800-621-3362 (Video Relay Service)
Operators are multilingual and calls are answered seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. ET

American Red Cross Disaster Service: For referrals and updates on Red Cross shelter services in your area, locate a local Red Cross office through: https://www.redcross.org/find-help or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
The Red Cross helps disaster victims by providing safe shelter, hot meals, essential relief supplies, emotional support and health services like first aid. Trained Red Cross workers often meet one-on-one with families to develop individual plans and identify available resources to help aid recovery.

 

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT FIELD OFFICE

Puerto Rico
San Juan Field Office
235 Federico Costa Street, Suite 200, San Juan, PR 00918
Phone: +1 787-274-5846
Director: Efraín Maldonado

 

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT  FIELD OFFICE
Camuy Sub-Area Office
EDIF 654 Plaza Suite 601
654 Ave. Munoz Rivera
San Juan, PR  00918-4129
Phone: (787) 766-5095
Director: Luis R. Garcia

 

STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Central Office
Sr. Nino Correa Filomeno
Comisionado Interino
Email: ncorrea@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-724-0124

San Juan Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Jaime González
Email: jgonzalez@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-294-0277

Vega Baja Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Víctor Sánchez Rivera
Email: vsanchez@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-965-7770

Arecibo Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Juan C. Santos Santos
Email: aperez@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-878-9454

Aguadilla Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Elvis Morales
Email: emorales@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-882-6871

Mayagüez Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Alberto Trabal Alicea
Email: atrabal@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-833-7272

Ponce Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Paul D. Fourquet
Email: pfourquet@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-844-1763

Guayama Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Carlos A. Reyes
Email: careyes@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-864-1600

Caguas Zone
Zone Director: Sr. George L. Pacheco
Email: gpacheco@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-656-9643

Humacao Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Orlando Díaz flores
Email: odiaz@prema.pr.gov 
Phone: 787-852-4044

Ceiba Zone
Zone Director: Sr. Francisco Bruno Orellano
Email: fbruno@prema.pr.gov
Phone: 787-863-3330

 

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