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Summary

In light of the post-Hurricane Katrina criticism directed at the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) housing policies and overall performance of its mission, Congress could opt to consider how disaster housing needs are traditionally addressed under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, as amended). How did FEMA's approach during Katrina differ from previous disasters and why? Should FEMA have pursued expanded authorities at the start of the disaster? Should housing vouchers have been used earlier and tailored to the disaster event? With a substantial amount of available funding provided by Congress, but without requesting expanded authority, FEMA found its sole option was to use traditional disaster housing practices. Those practices, successful for disasters of a historically familiar size, were hard-pressed to meet the unprecedented demands of the Katrina catastrophic disaster. There are potential events (New Madrid earthquake or other large natural or terrorist events) that could conceivably produce many of the same challenges presented by the Gulf Coast hurricane season of 2005. Those challenges include large, displaced populations spread across the nation and separated families unable to return because of the loss of not only their homes but also their places of employment. In short, federal disaster housing policy may be at issue in the 110th Congress, because, as Hurricane Katrina illustrated, the continued existence of communities after a catastrophic event involves extensive federal assistance issues. In the past, FEMA's approaches have turned on practical and theoretical considerations. Practical considerations include the agency's ability to house families and individuals within a short time frame and in proximity to the original disaster, and to make contact with the hundreds of thousands of applicants who registered for assistance after the disaster. Some of the theoretical policy considerations include questions of equity, self-reliance, federalism, and the duration of federal assistance. Those considerations, in turn, lead to process questions of program stewardship and the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse of federal resources. The Post-Katrina Act, enacted in October of 2006 (P. L. 109-295), includes changes in FEMA housing policy that provide the President with greater flexibility for meeting the challenges of disasters on a large scale. Also, legislation before the 110th Congress, such as H.R. 1144, would ease the cost-share burden for some housing costs and other disaster relief programs. Future debate on the housing issue will also be informed by the report on the National Disaster Housing Strategy (as directed in P.L. 109-295) that is due to Congress in 2007. The 110th Congress could opt to continue to examine and debate whether those legislative changes, as well as the Administration's implementation of them, suffice. This report will be updated as warranted by events.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.1144

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