FEMA Is Going Door-to-Door to Help Vermont Flood Victims

The city of Houston is changing its approach to measuring the full scope of damage from Hurricane Harvey so it can get help where it is most needed and improve future flood mitigation. Using data from numerous sources, Civis Analytics found unmet housing needs were far greater than initially recorded and low-income areas were hit disproportionately harder, even though recovery funding often goes to areas with higher housing values. Now city officials are working to implement solutions based on the data in order to allocate limited funds where they will be most effective.

When disasters, such as hurricanes and earthquakes, strike the recovery can be very expensive. Insurance has been found to be key in order to quickly get funds to help relief efforts.

The RainReady program helped some residents of flood-prone towns in Illinois keep their homes dry by assessing which measures they can take to direct rainwater away from their homes. Then, the homeowners receive grants to install the flood-control devices, such as rain gardens and backflow valves.

Salem, South Dakota revitalized its economic development corporation and launched an innovative community-investment model to jumpstart housing development after two derecho storms. Local leaders raised about $1 million through a creative funding mix and purchased land to build complete infrastructure (roads, water, sewer) for a 24-lot subdivision, reducing developer costs and risks. Two years after launching, underground systems are installed, roads are cleared and four of 24 lots have sold.

In the wake of disasters like Hurricane Helene, FEMA is tasked with dispensing aid, including rental assistance and funding for home repairs. But in six of the 10 North Carolina counties most affected by the storm, the lowest-income households received less aid that households in the highest income tier, raising concerns about equity and the agency’s onerous application process.

As flood risk and severity increase, homeowners are lifting their houses to avoid catastrophic damage. Hydraulic lifts raise the structure several feet up in the air, though it’s an expensive process, costing $75 to $200 per square foot. For some eligible families, low-interest disaster loans from FEMA are available to cover 75-100% of the costs. The organization has already raised nearly 22,000 homes nationwide since 1999.

The Grace Covenant Presbyterian Church in Asheville, North Carolina, is providing rent assistance, including same-day eviction protection, for people impacted by Hurricane Helene.

A network of local organizations in North Carolina are supplying people impacted by Hurricane Helene with clothing that can keep them warm as winter arrives. They run clothing drives and then sort the donations to meet specific requests, which is more helpful than giving out boxes of random clothes.

The Cabins 4 Christ initiative is providing shed-like shelters for people who lost their homes in the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. The structures include a composting toilet, mattresses, plenty of insulation, and supplies like water and a cooking stove.

A resident of Western North Carolina started a google form and spreadsheet to connect community members with volunteers offering the help they need to recover after Hurricane Helene.