Lessons and takeaways from Katrina to today: It’s time to codify the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program.
While millions of Americans were enjoying Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer, three tropical waves forming in the gulf reminded us that June is the official start of hurricane season, and it’s here. According to NOAA, 2024 could break the 2020 record for named storms, and the Agency predicts we could see 25 named storms this season. If that proves to be the case, the impacts could be devasting for those in their paths. Floridians are no strangers to hurricanes and the often-lengthy recovery process that follows. Recognizing the impact changes to federal recovery programs could have, IEM remains committed to advocating for a quicker and more streamlined road to recovery.
Over the years, Congress has appropriated billions of dollars for long-term disaster recovery through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Program (CDBG-DR). However, the program hasn’t been permanently authorized – which causes significant problems and delays for storm survivors. It’s time to change that.
Problems with the current status quo
Since 1993, Congress has allocated almost $90 billion for long-term disaster recovery purposes through HUD’s CDBG-DR program. Unfortunately, the program has never been permanently authorized to this day, leaving it perpetually in constant limbo through a need for endless supplemental appropriations. That lack of consistency, coupled with irregular federal register notices, all too often leads to a delay of recovery aid just when it’s needed most and for the most vulnerable in our society.
This ad hoc management for critical recovery aid means some states have to administer multiple grants simultaneously – and in some cases – applying different requirements for each. Unsurprisingly, the inconsistency significantly slows the delivery of aid to impacted communities and even deterred state and local governments from planning and designing their response processes.
Where CDBG-DR has Succeeded
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, I was appointed by Governor Barbour (R-MS) to administer more than $5.4 billion in grant funds for the state of Mississippi with an unprecedented error rate of less than one-tenth of one percent. When we first stepped in, there was no real playbook for administering these funds – but we changed that. Adhering to sound processes and management by the numbers, we were able to repair and rebuild more than 40,000 homes and complete over 280 public infrastructure projects benefitting over 600,000 residents. We implemented over 70 economic development projects that created or retained over 8,200 jobs. In the end, thanks to the incredible public servants and team members involved, we set the standard and process for administration of grant funds in recovery.
The management of these funds has also been successful in Florida, where despite multiple storms and significant labor and cost issues related to the pandemic, the Rebuild Florida program has now been able to complete almost 4,000 homes and help more than 8,000 residents return home following Hurricane Irma.
I’m proud to have been part of life changing efforts such as these, and through 30 years of expertise in the industry, my takeaway is simple: Congress needs to codify the CDBG-DR program to standardize and more effectively administer recovery efforts.
While we can’t always predict the devastation of hurricanes, tropical storms, and other disasters, we can get ahead of them by improving our recovery efforts. As we head into this new hurricane season, let’s always remember those still rebuilding, and improve our processes from year to year. There’s an effective way to do that: Congress should pass CDBG-DR Reform.
Jon Mabry, Vice President of Disaster Recovery at IEM, is a highly experienced disaster management expert and certified internal auditor with a career spanning 30 years. He is nationally recognized for his expertise in managing complex projects and large grant-funded programs in both the private and public sectors. His leadership in major long-term recovery programs in Mississippi, New York, Louisiana, North Carolina, Texas, and Puerto Rico has established him as a leader in the disaster recovery field.
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