On November 19th and 20th, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) held a summit to launch the Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative, which helps states develop plans to boost their post-disaster housing capabilities. During an eight-month period, both agencies will provide technical assistance and guidance to Kentucky, Michigan, and Missouri state officials and emergency managers to maximize housing-centric planning that can help mitigate potential housing shortfalls in communities when disasters strike.
These states provide a wide cross section of perspectives on the challenges of planning and executing post-disaster housing missions. This includes geographic diversity, frequency of major disaster declarations, and the types of disasters they are most likely to face. Over the next few months, each state will set their priorities as well as expected outcomes and engage with their local and community partners to develop a disaster housing strategy that can be executed when needed.
“HUD and FEMA are not just waiting until after a disaster occurs to bring assistance to our state and local partners. Partnerships like these are essential in mitigating housing recovery challenges before disasters strike,” said HUD Agency Head, the Honorable Adrianne Todman. “But when disasters do strike, we have an obligation to help communities rebuild. That’s why I am calling on Congress to move swiftly to approve the President’s $12 billion request for HUD’s Disaster Recover Funding, so we can help Americans rebuild their homes, now.”
“This initiative is designed to strengthen relationships between emergency management and housing agencies both within a state and between the states in the cohort,” said FEMA’s Assistant Administrator for Recovery, Colt Hagmaier. “This partnership remains a priority for both FEMA and HUD and we are thrilled to see the exponential impacts of this initiative throughout the nation.”
HUD and FEMA’s efforts will help build local capacity and support states to adopt a proactive approach to housing recovery. The initiative was created to address potential housing issues when disasters were not actively affecting the states to help ensure individuals, families, and communities can recover effectively. This type of planning also helps disaster-stricken states move from short-term sheltering programs to more sustainable housing solutions.
In 2023, HUD and FEMA concluded efforts for the first cohort of the joint housing initiative for Louisiana, Montana, New Jersey, and Washington. This inaugural initiative focused on the importance of identifying and addressing housing recovery challenges in a non-disaster environment, the benefit of information sharing among states and the value in tailoring federal support and resources to the unique needs and challenges of each state. The states participating in the first cohort urged HUD and FEMA to create a second round of the initiative and are providing guidance to the new states.
“The Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative answers the call from citizens to ensure all levels of government are ready for the day when a disaster strikes,” said Marion McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development. “Unfortunately, disasters are occurring far more frequently, with greater damage, so this work is necessary to protect people, properties, and infrastructure from harm.”
To learn more about the 2023 Pre-Disaster Housing Initiative, visit Planning Guides | FEMA.gov.