High-performance infrastructure can not only mitigate the severity and cost of damages incurred from natural disasters, but it also attracts more diverse funding sources such as green bonds, catastrophe bonds, resilience bonds, and social impact bonds. This HUD fact sheet provides governments of all levels with a basic overview of innovative financing mechanisms available to… Read more
The Government of Puerto Rico is taking advantage of the opportunity to build back stronger and more resilient in the wake of Hurricane Maria’s devastating impact. Less than one year after Hurricane Maria made landfall in September 2017, the Government of Puerto Rico published this economic and disaster recovery plan to provide a framework for… Read more
A group of 10 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and IBTS volunteers conducted service and governance assessments of Puerto Rico’s 78 municipalities after Hurricane Maria. The assessment results were performed as part of the Puerto Rico Municipal Assessment Project and were published in RAND Corporation’s report, “Transformation and Innovation in the Wake of Devastation: An Economic and… Read more
FEMA’s independent study training courses offerings are one of the most important disaster preparation educational tools for government officials, staff, and other professionals engaged in FEMA efforts during disasters. Below, IBTS provides links to FEMA’s course offerings, organized by disaster phase. Click on the disaster phase to see the listing of course options specific to… Read more
Disaster recovery projects carried out using federal funding, including FEMA, SBA, HUD, and the Buereau of Land Management’s programs, typically must adhere to National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) Section 106 requirements. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) provides answers to frequently asked questions on the role of Section 106 in disaster recovery programs, in addition… Read more
Cities and counties can incur millions of dollars in disaster response and recovery costs. Although most of these costs are eligible for FEMA reimbursement, if cost and time expenditures aren’t properly recorded localities may be denied assistance or forced to return money years after the disaster hits. Some municipalities have an appointed disaster financial manager,… Read more
This form is to be used by responsible entities and recipients when requesting the release of funds, and requesting the authority to use such funds, for U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs identified by statutes that provide for the assumption of the environmental review responsibility by units of general local government and state.… Read more
Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) grantees and subrecipients must follow all local, state and federal procurement requirements. Many localities are unfamiliar with federal procurement policies, making it easy to overlook requirements that can lead to noncompliance and repayment of funds. Download this sample procurement checklist from HUD to ensure compliance at each step… Read more
This fact sheet provides an introduction to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) program including information on who is eligible to receive this funding, how it can be used, and a basic overview of the process for implementing a CDBG-DR program. CDBG-DR grantees and subrecipients can use this fact sheet as a… Read more
As one of the most vulnerable populations in disaster response and recovery, a community’s homeless population cannot be overlooked in disaster planning. June Gin, Veterans Emergency Evaluation Center (VEMEC) Research Health Scientist, recommends that stakeholders involved in the disaster planning process coordinate and collaborate with homeless service organizations during planning. If your community doesn’t have… Read more
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