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Hurricane Fiona Disaster Guide

September 19, 2022/in Disaster Guide, Disaster Response Resources, Information Products, News, Rural News Disaster

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

Housing After Disasters and the Importance of Comprehensive and Equitable Recovery Policies

September 6, 2022/in News, Rural News Disaster

The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University released a blog post about improving HUD’s CDBG-DR program. Carlos Martin, Project Director of Remodeling Futures Program, writes:

Repairs after major disasters are an increasing portion of home improvement activity, but there are many households who either cannot afford these repairs, or who are not in a position to recover from these events quickly, such as renters. Managed by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) fund helps cities, counties, and states recover from presidentially-declared disasters. The program fills needs that remain after a disaster and after other assistance is exhausted. These are needs that persist particularly for residents who cannot recover on their own. Disasters have a long-term negative impact on the housing and household finances of survivors for years after the event and, without assistance, the impact is longer and deeper. The depth of impact holds true across jurisdictions regardless of their size or populations, of the severity of disaster damages, or of the political composition of state and local leaders. CDBG-DR has made a quantitative and qualitative difference in many survivors’ lives. And while Congress has relied on CDBG-DR to provide flexible, long-term recovery assistance to communities in need, Congress has not provided permanent authorization for the program.

Despite the effectiveness of CDBG-DR, there is of course room for improvement to the program. HUD’s Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD) has been forthcoming about the improvements identified by its own staff and from past and current grantees. And they have acted on them. One study I conducted for HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research noted an increased speed in HUD’s processes over a decade of disasters beginning with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. But opportunities exist for 1) consistency, 2) efficiency and speed, 3) comprehensively serving the most severely affected communities and households, and 4) monitoring compliance with all federal statutes.

As I testified in a Senate hearing at the end of last year, CDBG-DR’s lack of permanent statutory authority has impeded consistency. If the program were codified through permanent, congressional authorization, it could yield consistent rules; standardized and more sophisticated reporting and recordkeeping; and more uniform technical assistance offerings. There are also benefits for HUD and its grantees in their planning and timing from the consistency that would be established through permanent authorization.

Next, speed is impeded by the uncertain and delayed access to funds. In my study, the length of time between the disaster and HUD’s allocation—that is, the federal activity before state and local grantees are directly involved—shapes the time after in which grantees design, launch, and ramp up their programs. I have encountered numerous cases where jurisdictions were unable to plan, act, and/or inform households of their options because of the lack of knowledge about whether and when funds would come. This omission leads to suboptimal recovery for everyone. Efficient—and early—resources and knowledge make a difference in lives and livelihoods.

HUD’s general CDBG program has a requirement to serve low-to-moderate income households that could be pursued even more deeply with a permanently authorized CDBG-DR. Research shows that survivor households continue to slip through the cracks because they lack the resources to wait or absorb delay and change. Extremely low-income households and renters are particularly vulnerable. These groups suffer from even modest financial hits and personal damages. They could benefit from the changes I have already mentioned simply because clearer rules and faster funding would help jurisdictions catch them before they slip through the cracks.

But with these changes, there is an increased responsibility to make it easier for the most vulnerable households to apply, qualify, and access assistance. HUD and its grantees could also aggressively expand robust, consistent, and transparent data about the household beneficiaries once given the breathing space of permanent authorization and early fund dispersals. Ensuring that data gaps are filled will help HUD and the federal government confirm that grantees will both use funds effectively and in ways that target households with the most severe and ongoing vulnerabilities.

The Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery fund serves as a bridge between immediate crisis and long-term community development. Yet, that bridge has been temporary and ephemeral without the stability of statutory program authority or the security of resources to let households and communities decide their path to becoming whole. Future disasters are certain. We must respond with equal certainty and purposeful clarity.

HUD CDBG-DR grantees surveyed

August 8, 2022/in News, Rural News Disaster

Bipartisan Policy Center surveyed CDBG-DR grantees to better support communities as they recover from disasters. Takeaways include almost all respondents found CDBG-DR funding to be somewhat or very important to their state or community’s recovery and 69 percent of survey respondents say that housing is the unmet need that CDBG-DR funding has been most important in addressing. See survey results.

Eastern Kentucky Flooding Disaster Guide

July 29, 2022/in Disaster Response Resources, Information Products, News, Rural News Disaster

Since July 26^th southeastern Kentucky has seen some of the worst flooding in the state’s history, according to Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. The region has received about 12 inches of rain with another two expected on Friday. So far 15 fatalities have been reported and hundreds are trapped in flooded areas. Hundreds of homes are expected to be destroyed by this flood, along with vital infrastructure in many towns and rural areas. This disaster is ongoing, and the full impacts have not been assessed yet. HAC offers the following guide as a source of information for individuals and families dealing with direct housing loss and damage from the rain and flooding. For more information, please see HAC’s disaster resources: Rural Resilience and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

If your house is inaccessible or currently uninhabitable, emergency, transient housing will likely be made available to provide immediate shelter for those in need. Organizations and resources available to assist with emergency transient housing in previous similar disasters include the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Church World Service, Mennonite Disaster Service, and state- and city-run emergency shelters. 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.

FEMA makes available temporary assistance funding for residents of counties affected by flooding. Temporary assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. To see if you are eligible for funding, you can apply online at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA(3362). When applying, make sure to have a pen and paper as well as the following information: your social security number, current and pre-disaster address, a telephone number where you can be contacted, insurance information, total household income, a routing and account number from your bank if you are interested in having disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account, and a description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

Tips

Please keep in mind the following safety protocols for 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.
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 or 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.

STATE HOUSING AGENCY
Kentucky Housing Corporation
1231 Louisville Road, Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone:502-564-7630
Phone: 800-633-8896 (KY only)
https://www.kyhousing.org

HUD STATE FIELD OFFICE

Gene Snyder Courthouse
601 W. Broadway, Room 110
Louisville, KY 40202
Phone: (502) 582-5251
Fax: (502) 582-6074
TTY: (800) 648-6056
Email: Customer Service

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICE

Thomas Carew, State Director
771 Corporate Drive, Suite 200
Lexington, KY 40503
Phone: (859) 224-7300
Fax: (855) 661-8335
https://www.rd.usda.gov/ky

STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Kentucky Emergency Management
100 Minuteman Pkwy, Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (800) 255-2587
https://kyem.ky.gov/Pages/default.aspx

Congressional Hearing Focuses on the Potential of Manufactured Housing

May 31, 2022/in HAC in the News Housing Affordability, Housing Structure Type

HAC’s Director of Research, Lance George, was one of several witnesses to provide testimony at a hearing of the House Transportation-HUD Appropriations Subcommittee on Manufactured Housing: Supporting America’s Largest Unsubsidized Affordable Housing Stock. North Carolina news station WRAL covered the hearing and provided local perspective on the potential for manufactured housing to increase housing affordability in the region.

Middle Tennessee Flooding Disaster Guide

August 24, 2021/in Disaster Response Resources, Information Products, News, Rural News Disaster

On August 21, 2021, record-breaking rain (17 inches in 24 hours) caused major flooding in Middle Tennessee and at least 22 fatalities in Humphreys County. Roads, telephone lines, cars, and home foundations were washed away. HAC offers the following guide as a source of information for individuals and families dealing with direct housing loss and damage from the storm. For more information, please see HAC’s report: Picking up the Pieces: Restoring Rural Housing and Communities After a Disaster and Disaster Response for Rural Communities Guide.

If your house is inaccessible or currently uninhabitable, emergency, transient housing will likely be made available to provide immediate shelter for those in need. Organizations and resources available to assist with emergency transient housing in previous similar disasters include the Red Cross, Salvation Army, Church World Service, Mennonite Disaster Service, and state- and city-run emergency shelters. 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.

FEMA makes available temporary assistance funding available for residents of counties affected by natural disasters. Temporary assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help individuals and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster. To see if you are eligible for funding, you can apply online at https://www.disasterassistance.gov/ or call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 1-800-621-FEMA(3362). When applying, make sure to have a pen and paper as well as the following information: your social security number, current and pre-disaster address, a telephone number where you can be contacted, insurance information, total household income, a routing and account number from your bank if you are interested in having disaster assistance funds transferred directly into your bank account, and a description of your losses that were caused by the disaster.

Tips

Please keep in mind the following safety protocols for 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.

STATE HOUSING AGENCIES

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

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT STATE FIELD OFFICES

Tennessee
John J. Duncan Federal Building
710 Locust Street, SW 3rd Floor
Knoxville, TN 37902-2526
Phone: (865) 545-4370

Nashville Field Office
235 Cumberland Bend
Suite 200
Nashville, TN 37228-1803
Phone: (615) 515-8510
Director: Sernorma L. Mitchell

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT STATE OFFICES

Tennessee
Jim Tracy, State Director
441 Donelson Pike, Suite 310
Nashville, TN 37214
Voice: (615) 783-1300
Fax: (855) 776-7057
www.rd.usda.gov/tn

STATE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES

Region 4 (Mississippi and Tennessee)
Federal Emergency Management Agency
3003 Chamblee Tucker Road
Atlanta, GA 30341
Main Number: 770-220-5200
Fax Number: 770-220-5230

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