Obama Presidency: Homeland Security Department’s New Disaster Housing Strategy

(The following is based on reports obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.) The Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced the release of the National Disaster Housing Strategy for natural (hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.) or man-made (terrorist attack) disasters.

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The Strategy summarizes, for the first time in a single document, the many sheltering and housing capabilities, principles, and policies that guide and inform the disaster housing process. The Strategy also charts the new direction that our disaster housing efforts must take to better meet the disaster housing needs of individuals and communities moving forward. The Strategy promotes a national housing effort that engages all levels of government, the nonprofit and private sectors, and individuals to collectively meet the urgent housing needs of disaster victims and enable individuals, households and communities to rebuild and restore their way of life when a disaster threatens or strikes. "The National Disaster Housing Strategy recognizes that effective housing solutions are those that go beyond simply providing a housing unit to also address the complex needs of disaster victims," FEMA Administrator R. David Paulison said. "The Strategy reflects the combined efforts of FEMA and many partner agencies, and incorporates feedback from organizations and the public that have a role in disaster housing, whether it's at the tribal, state or local level, with our private sector partners and with individuals." The Strategy calls for a National Disaster Housing Task Force, which is chaired by FEMA, and jointly led with the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the National American Red Cross and includes experts from all levels of government, the private sector and non-governmental organizations. The Task Force will focus full time attention on disaster housing, developing operational plans, building disaster housing capabilities, and achieving the vision and goals of the Strategy. "The Strategy illustrates the importance of federal, private and local partners working together to provide long-term housing assistance after a disaster," said HUD Secretary Ron Preston. "HUD will continue to assist FEMA and others to address disaster housing needs." FEMA received nearly 500 comments from individuals, industry representatives, associations, and State and local government representatives during the public comment period. Its housing staff has spent the past six months adjudicating these comments and seeking additional guidance and direction from our stakeholders in order to address these concerns and comments. FEMA's final Strategy incorporates most of these comments, as well as the input of numerous agencies and organizations at the federal, state, local levels. It includes seven annexes that summarize current disaster housing efforts and programs and provide the foundation to review, analyze, and improve disaster housing.