As many of your agencies manage the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, PHADA would like to express our readiness to assist you, and your staff wherever needed. We understand the immense challenges that many of your housing authority, staff, residents, and communities may face now and in the indefinite future. Your agencies are often first responders to residents, and as a result, your staff play a vital role in the immediate aftermath of a disaster.
As with most federally funded programs, coordination with state and local officials is crucial to effective assistance delivery, and this is especially true with disaster response. If your agency is affected, we urge you to maintain contact with your local HUD field office, inform residents and other partners of available assistance, and coordinate with other agencies regarding needs, confirmation of eligibility, and delivery of assistance.
There are a number of resources that might be helpful to disaster recovery efforts, if applicable. PHADA has gathered the listing below and will continue to do so as needed and as additional information becomes available from HUD, FEMA, and the White House. Further, PHADA is prepared to assist you with any of the efforts detailed here—please reach out if you need assistance!
FEMA
Federal disaster assistance is available to the states of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia to help jumpstart recovery efforts. While FEMA’s Individual Assistance program provides funding directly to individuals, direct assistance to HAs will come via HUD, and/or via an application to FEMA which is reviewed, and if awarded managed, by the designated state entity.
Individuals, including residents, may apply for assistance in three ways:
- Online by visiting disasterassistance.gov.
- Call 800-621-3362. If you use a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others, give FEMA the number for that service.
- Download the FEMA app.
FEMA is currently offering an up-front direct payment to eligible survivors, called “Serious Needs Assistance.” The assistance is not a loan, but an up-front, flexible payment to help cover essential items like food, water, baby formula, breastfeeding supplies, medication, and other emergency supplies. FEMA offers other forms of assistance that individuals may qualify for, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses eligibility for additional funds.
Agencies may also review FEMA Emergency Declarations for the availability of individual assistance.
HUD
HUD’s PHA Disaster Preparedness page and HUD’s Disaster Resources page are available to assist housing authorities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. Pertinent information available includes the following:
- PHA Disaster Readiness, Response, and Recovery (D3R) Guidebook. Updated from 2016, this is the primary resource for HAs before, during, and after disasters. In conjunction with other resources, the guidebook will assist PHAs to develop a more resilient portfolio and, when impacted, expedite the recovery process. Section 4.5 Funding Sources describes some of the resources that may be available to HAs and their residents after a disaster.
- Public Housing Agency: Applying for FEMA Public Assistance Factsheet. While assistance is available after a presidential major disaster declaration or emergency declaration, PHAs have expressed challenges in accessing these funds. In response, and in consultation with HUD, FEMA developed this fact sheet to help PHAs navigate the program and expedite the recovery process. For more detailed information and specific program requirements, refer to FEMA’s Public Assistance Program and Policy Guide.
- Disaster Recovery for Communities. HUD provides assistance and resources to local communities to respond to and recover from a disaster, including Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Funds (CDBG-DR) to help cities, counties, and states recover from Presidentially declared disasters.
- Requesting Disaster Waivers. The notice advises HAs of HUD’s expedited process for waivers and flexibilities from HUD regulatory and administrative requirements during Presidentially declared disasters. Agencies can request waivers for immediate needs, like administrative flexibilities needed for crisis management operations during the immediate aftermath of a disaster, for example. HUD’s February 5, 2024, Federal Register Notice entitled, “Regulatory Waivers and Administrative Flexibilties During a Presidentially Declared Disaster, for Public Housing Agencies During CY 2024 and CY 2025”, includes a helpful checklist with instructions for how to submit a complete waiver(s) or flexbility request(s).
- New HUD Disaster Press Releases:
- Additional Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Training. Please visit HUD’s website for emergency and disaster preparedness group education training, including: