Although home inspections and building code enforcement aren’t often top-of-mind for residents and community stakeholders rebuilding from a disaster, they are vital to a successful disaster recovery and rebuilding program. Hiring building inspectors trained in disaster recovery is a must, and what’s more, inspection costs are eligible for reimbursement under ’s program. “What can… Read more
Before FEMA leaves, localities are required to establish a Long-Term Recovery Group (LTRG) if one does not already exist. LTRG’s are independent of FEMA, HUD or any other federal agency, and exist to help meet the unmet disaster recovery needs of the community and individuals. Involve as many community stakeholders as possible. This ensures… Read more
In the chaos of natural disaster response and recovery — or any natural disaster planning, response or recovery activity — it’s important to remember that it is against the law to discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, religion, nationality, sex, age, or economic status in all disaster assistance programs in Presidentially declared disaster areas. This… Read more
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD’s) comprehensive “Disaster Recovery Guide for Homelessness” offers a framework for collaboration between local governments and services providers to ensure the needs of the entire community are met. The toolkit provides guides for all three phases of the natural disaster timeline, including a Local Planning Guide, Response… Read more
Providing proper documentation is crucial to ensuring that your community will receive and keep funding assistance following a disaster. Yet, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the detailed documentation requirements for FEMA, HUD’s program and other funding programs. It’s always a good idea to enroll in a FEMA or CDBG-DR training course prior to… Read more
At no time in your community will communications be as critical — or as problematic — as during a disaster. Making improvements and plans during disaster planning that address the communications challenges your community is likely to face in a natural disaster will save you time and headaches when a disaster does strike. Furthermore,… Read more
You never know who you will need to call on for assistance during a disaster; unforeseen issues will arise, and you may need to call on a neighboring city or county, your state, or even your Congressman for assistance. Although it’s difficult, near impossible, to predict who will be able to provide what your… Read more
Planning for a natural disaster is a constant process. Although no disaster plan is ever perfect, localities that regularly review and update policies and procedures, staffing and stakeholders’ roles, and funding options are better able to manage the response and recovery effort when a disaster does strike. One of the key components to any… Read more
Regardless of the disaster recovery grant program, homeowner applicant appeals are inevitable. There will be homeowners who have legitimate appeal requests, and those that know their appeal won’t go through but expend the effort regardless. Through years of experience and thousands of applications processed, IBTS has developed a deep understanding of the nuances and… Read more
FEMA’s applicant guide to the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) provides a comprehensive user’s manual to the IHP program, from eligibility requirements, to the appeals process, FAQs and more. FEMA IHP applicants can use this both as a guide through the application process, and to gain a better understanding of the program and program requirements… Read more
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