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    IN12429

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    Roy H.
    Hurricane Helene

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    IN12429

    Uploaded by

    Roy H.
    22 views4 pages
    Hurricane Helene

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    Hurricane Helene

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    Download as pdf or txt
    22 views4 pages

    IN12429

    Uploaded by

    Roy H.
    Hurricane Helene

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    INSIGHTi

    Hurricane Helene Recovery: Brief Overview


    of FEMA Programs and Resources

    Updated October 3, 2024

    Introduction
    Before midnight on September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 major hurricane
    in northwestern Florida in the Big Bend area of the Gulf Coast, later bringing heavy rain and floods to
    many states in the southern Appalachian region.
    President Biden had issued emergency declarations under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
    Emergency Assistance Act (the Stafford Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended; 42 U.S.C. §§5121 et seq.) for
    Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia authorizing Public
    Assistance (PA) for emergency protective measures to support mass care, and Individual Assistance (IA)
    for Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina.
    Beginning on Sept. 29th, President Biden began issuing major disaster declarations superseding many of
    these earlier emergency declarations, as follows:
    • Florida Hurricane Helene (DR-4828-FL), authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard Mitigation
    Assistance;
    • North Carolina Tropical Storm Helene (DR-4827-NC), authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard
    Mitigation Assistance (this declaration includes the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians);
    • South Carolina Hurricane Helene (DR-4829-SC), authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard
    Mitigation Assistance;
    • Georgia Hurricane Helene (DR-4830-GA), authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard Mitigation
    Assistance;
    • Virginia Tropical Storm Helene (DR-4831-VA), authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard
    Mitigation Assistance; and
    • Tennessee Tropical Storm Helene (DR-4832-TN) authorizing IA, PA, and Hazard
    Mitigation Assistance.

    Congressional Research Service


    https://crsreports.congress.gov
    IN12429

    CRS INSIGHT
    Prepared for Members and
    Committees of Congress
    Congressional Research Service 2

    The situation remains dynamic; additional declarations, including for other states and designated areas
    (counties), or additional forms of assistance may be forthcoming. Existing major disaster declarations and
    potential major disaster declarations for Hurricane Helene may authorize FEMA to provide a suite of
    disaster assistance programs, including Individual Assistance, Public Assistance, and Hazard Mitigation
    Assistance.
    Information about state and county disaster assistance authorizations is published in FEMA’s declaration
    database.
    FEMA’s Hurricane Helene webpage provides information on and directions to apply for disaster
    assistance.

    FEMA Emergency and Major Disaster Assistance


    FEMA provides three major categories of disaster assistance, some of which may be available pursuant to
    an emergency declaration and/or a major disaster declaration:
    • Public Assistance (PA) provides grants and direct assistance to state, tribal, territorial, and
    local governments, and certain private nonprofit organizations, for emergency work (e.g,
    debris removal and emergency protective measures), and permanent work (for rebuilding
    and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities).
    • Individual Assistance (IA) supports disaster survivors, including through grants of
    financial assistance and direct assistance to affected individuals and households for
    housing and financial assistance for other needs, and crisis counseling (both may be
    authorized pursuant to either an emergency or major disaster declaration), as well as case
    management services, legal services, and disaster unemployment assistance (may only be
    authorized pursuant to a major disaster declaration).
    • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds mitigation and resiliency projects and
    programs, typically across the entire state or territory (can only be authorized pursuant to
    a major disaster declaration).
    The forms of assistance authorized by a declaration may vary by the designated areas, per the declaration
    (subject to amendment). The President can also amend emergency and major disaster declarations to
    decrease the cost-share requirements for PA.

    National Flood Insurance Program


    The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is the primary source of flood insurance coverage for
    residential properties. Homeowners and tenants with NFIP flood insurance can make flood damage claims
    using the normal NFIP claims process. There does not have to be an emergency or disaster declaration in
    order to make an NFIP claim. Policyholders can make a claim as soon as they can safely return to their
    property to document the damage.
    As of August 25, 2024, the NFIP had $4.845 billion available to pay claims, as well as $9.9 billion of
    borrowing authority from the Treasury and up to $619.5 million of reinsurance for a single flood event in
    2024 with losses from over $7 billion to $11 billion. The NFIP is currently authorized until December 20,
    2024.
    Congressional Research Service 3

    Federal Funding for Disaster Response and Recovery


    While it is not the only source of federal funding for disaster assistance, FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund
    (DRF) is the primary funding source for federal government response and recovery activities. As a result,
    its level of unobligated funds is often used as shorthand for the overall availability of federal resources for
    response and recovery.
    On August 7, 2024, prior to the development of Hurricane Helene, FEMA announced the implementation
    of immediate needs funding (INF) restrictions, as a result of the unobligated balance in the DRF for major
    disasters being at risk of depletion before the end of FY2024. INF slows obligations for long-term
    recovery and mitigation projects in favor of preserving resources for response and recovery activities.
    This action has delayed $8 billion in obligations as of mid-September 2024. Although annual
    appropriations have not been enacted for FEMA as of the date on this Insight, on September 27, 2024,
    President Biden signed into law a continuing resolution that would provide $20.26 billion in temporary
    budget authority for the DRF, available October 1. These funds would be available until December 20,
    2024, or until FEMA’s annual appropriations are enacted, whichever comes first.

    Additional Hurricane and Flooding Resources


    FEMA Programs and Resources:
    • Public Assistance Program Overview
    • Individual Assistance Program Overview
    • Hazard Mitigation Grant Program Overview
    • National Flood Insurance Program Overview
    • FEMA Blog

    CRS Resources
    Hurricane and Flooding Resources
    • CRS Report R46408, Hurricane Events: CRS Experts
    • CRS Report R40882, Flooding Events: CRS Experts
    • CRS Report R44593, Introduction to the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
    • CRS Report R45017, Flood Resilience and Risk Reduction: Federal Assistance and
    Programs
    Federal Disaster Assistance—Process and Programs
    • CRS Report WMR10001, CRS Guide to Federal Emergency Management
    • CRS Report RL31734, Federal Disaster Assistance Response and Recovery Programs:
    Brief Summaries
    • CRS Report R41981, Congressional Primer on Responding to and Recovering from
    Major Disasters and Emergencies
    • CRS Report R47676, Disaster Relief Fund State of Play: In Brief
    • CRS Report R46749, FEMA’s Public Assistance Program: A Primer and Considerations
    for Congress
    • CRS Report R46014, FEMA Individual Assistance Programs: An Overview
    Congressional Research Service 4

    • CRS Insight IN11187, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard


    Mitigation Assistance
    • CRS Report R45238, FEMA and SBA Disaster Assistance for Individuals and
    Households: Application Processes, Determinations, and Appeals

    Author Information

    Lauren R. Stienstra, Coordinator William L. Painter


    Section Research Manager Specialist in Homeland Security and Appropriations

    Diane P. Horn Elizabeth M. Webster


    Specialist in Flood Insurance and Emergency Specialist in Emergency Management and Disaster
    Management Recovery

    Erica A. Lee Daniela E. Lacalle


    Specialist in Emergency Management and Disaster Research Assistant
    Recovery

    Bruce R. Lindsay
    Specialist in American National Government

    Disclaimer
    This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff
    to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of
    Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of
    information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role.
    CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not subject to copyright protection in the United
    States. Any CRS Report may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without permission from CRS. However,
    as a CRS Report may include copyrighted images or material from a third party, you may need to obtain the
    permission of the copyright holder if you wish to copy or otherwise use copyrighted material.

    IN12429 · VERSION 5 · UPDATED

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