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Summary

Some have criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) emergency housing policies, particularly its approach to health and safety standards (as exemplified by the evidence of formaldehyde in both trailers and mobile homes), as well as its overall strategy to perform its housing mission. To address disaster housing issues, Congress could opt to consider questions such as the following. How have disaster housing needs traditionally been addressed under the Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (P.L. 93-288, as amended)? How did FEMA's approach during Hurricane Katrina differ from previous disasters and why? 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. Federal disaster housing policy may remain an 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 in the case of Hurricane Katrina, to make contact with the hundreds of thousands of applicants who registered for assistance. Some of the theoretical policy considerations include questions of equity, self-reliance, federalism, and the duration of federal assistance. Those considerations have led to process questions concerning program stewardship and the potential for waste, fraud, and abuse of federal resources. The Post-Katrina Act Emergency Management Reform Act, enacted in October of 2006 (P.L. 109-295), changed FEMA housing policy to provide the President with greater flexibility for meeting the challenges of disasters on a large scale. Future debate on the housing issue may also be affected by the report on the National Disaster Housing Strategy (as directed in P.L. 109-295) that was due to Congress in 2007, but is not yet completed. Legislation in the 110th Congress, such as S. 2386, which restores the Mortgage/Rental Assistance program, demonstrates ongoing Congressional interest in programs that augment existing housing assistance. Also, legislation (S. 2382) that would mandate that the FEMA Administrator assess the need for manufactured housing units and develop a strategy to optimize their use and disposal of those not needed. This report will be updated as warranted by events.

Related Legislation:
• S.2386
• S.2382

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