ICMA and the Big 7 national associations of state and local governments met with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and National Security Council in March to discuss the imperative of disaster resilience.  White House leaders noted that the country is at a tipping point with the federal government dealing with seven large recovery efforts simultaneously.  At the same time, 25 percent of all counties have had disaster declarations in each of the past four years.

There was a consensus that all levels of government need to maximize resources to develop greater resilience to all types of disasters, from flooding and wildfires to cybersecurity, public health, and the energy grid.  Key takeaways:

• Federal agencies need to streamline programs geared to recovery; states also need to streamline their efforts so that funds reach communities and residents in a timely way.
• Local governments can help improve the system by identifying points of conflict in grant requirements between different federal agencies or where more flexibility is needed.
• Opportunity Zones may be a source of disaster recovery funds for such needs as housing.
• The Disaster Recovery Reform Act of 2018 sets aside 6 percent of disaster recovery funds for pre-disaster mitigation.  Grant guidance is expected to be finalized in the next six months.
• Congress has allocated $125 billion in supplemental funding for disaster recovery to some 90 federal programs involving 20 agencies and departments.
• The White House advised that local matches for federal grants may be available from state governments, e.g., the EPA Revolving Loan Program.

ICMA has advocated for a more networked approach to emergency management ever since Hurricane Katrina caused widespread destruction in 2005.  Recently, ICMA published Disaster Recovery Essentials and has worked closely with the National Association of Counties, North Carolina state associations, and federal partners to provide strategic guidance and practical information communities need to address Hurricane Florence recovery challenges.  A December 12 webinar that includes all presentations and links to resources can be accessed here:  Hurricane Recovery.