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The United States' Actions After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria

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The United States' Actions After Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria The United States’ actions after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria P.O. Box 11566 San Juan, PR, 00910 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 5 SECTION 1. DEMOGRAPHIC, SOCIOECONOMIC AND HOUSING DATA ON COUNTIES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA AND MARIA .............................................................................................. 5 Table 1.1. Demographic, socioeconomic and housing data on Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas, 2016 .................................................................................................................. 6 SECTION 2. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) ASSISTANCE DATA, ......................... 6 Figure 2.1 Percentage of households requesting assistance from FEMA as of August 24, 2018 .................................................................................................................. 7 Table 2.1. Individual Assistance data as of August 24, 2018 ................................................ 8 Table 2.2. Individuals and Households Program (IHP) data as of August 24, 2018, ............. 8 Table 2.3. Housing Assistance Data for Renters as of August 29, 2018, .............................. 9 Table 2.4. Housing Assistance Data for Owners as of August 29, 2018, ............................ 10 Table 2.5. Other Needs Assistance (ONA) data as of August 24, 2018, ............................. 10 Table 2.6. Public Assistance Funded Projects Detail as of August 15, 2018 ...................... 11 Figure 2.2. Disaster Relief Fund Obligations and Expenditures for Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria, and California Wildfires as of April 30, 2018 ................................................... 11 SECTION 3. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (SBA) DATA, .............................................................. 12 Table 3.1. Loans approved by disaster as of September 30, 2017 ..................................... 12 SECTION 4. FEMA DISPARITIES IN ASSISTANCE AMONG THE STATES AFFECTED BY HURRICANES HARVEY, IRMA AND MARIA .............................................................................................................................. 12 Table 4.1. “HAZUS: Estimated Damage and Economic Losses” in Texas, Florida, and Puerto Rico after Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria, ............................................... 14 Table 4.2. Cement prices in Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida ............................................. 17 Table 4.3. Wood prices in Puerto Rico, Texas, and Florida ................................................ 17 ANNEXED I. FEMA PROGRAMS SUMMARY .......................................................................................... 18 ANNEXED II. MECHANISMS USED BY FEMA TO COORDINATE AND DELIVER DISASTER RESPONSE ........... 19 ANNEXED III. SUMMARY OF R45084 REPORT: “2017 DISASTER SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPIATIONS OVERVIEW – MARCH 20, 2018” .......................................................................................................... 20 2 3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Louisiana was affected by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, Texas by Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, and one month later, Florida, Puerto Rico, and US Virgin Islands were impacted by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. The United States government responded differently to the disasters in Puerto Rico than in these states. The literature shows that inhabitants 65 years or older are very susceptible to natural events, and Puerto Rico had approximately 600,000 elderly in 2016. Also, five out of ten people lived below the poverty level, 18% were unemployed, and 86% of all infrastructure on the island was built in 1999 or earlier. These data demonstrate that Puerto Rico had higher vulnerability than other U.S. territories impacted by the hurricanes. Consistent with the lower socioeconomic status of its population, Puerto Rico proportionally requested more assistance from FEMA than these states affected by the hurricanes. On the island, after Hurricane Maria (Maria), 73% of the registrations reported food need, 95% lack of utilities, and 64% home damage. In contrast with states such as Florida, Puerto Rican petitioners said that their circumstances were highly severe. However, just 41% of Puerto Rican applications for assistance were eligible, while in Louisiana it was 68%. In the same way, the people in Louisiana ($7,129.36) and New Orleans ($10,389.29) received more money on average than Puerto Ricans after Maria ($2,608.28). Although the Stafford Act establishes that the purpose of any action should be “save lives and prevent human suffering”, the disparities with respect to the states were evident. Although 2.7% of the inspected rental houses in Puerto Rico had “major damage” after Maria and other territories had lower percentages of housing damage under this category, FEMA approved the maximum grant to 19 renters in Texas, 8 in Florida, 14,634 in Louisiana, 11,747 in New Orleans, and just one (1) in Puerto Rico. Similarly, the federal agency approved maximum grants to 5,240 owners in Texas (1.2% of cases), and 3,364 in Puerto Rico (0.4% of cases). In the US Virgin Islands, Louisiana, and New Orleans the percentages of grant approvals were more favorable than in Puerto Rico. Additionally, the 34% of Puerto Rican valid registrations after Maria were eligible for Other Needs Assistance, but Texas (35%) and US Virgin Islands (38%) had higher percentages than the Island. The average approved amount was greater for New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina ($9,859.61) than Puerto Rico after Maria ($3,149.45). 3 4 According to the federal law, FEMA can cover 75% of a project’s total cost, however, “the federal agency may recommend an increase up to 90%”. The cost share percentage in Louisiana was 99%, but in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Irma it was 80%. FEMA approved $3,074 billion to public assistance on the Island, but in Louisiana approved $13,274 billion after Hurricane Katrina. Without a doubt, the material needs in Puerto Rico after hurricanes Irma and Maria was higher than other territories in the United States. However, the Small Business Administration (SBA) approved $1.3 billion in loans in Puerto Rico, but in Texas and Louisiana the quantity was higher than the island, with $2.9 billion and $6.4 billion, respectively. For each emergency and major disaster declaration, FEMA considers the HAZUS report to determine the amounts to assign in the territories affected by a natural event. As a result, Puerto Rico had the higher estimate in damages and its report was completed more than two months after Maria, while in other territories the report was completed in few weeks or day after the events. As a matter fact, FEMA used a pilot program on the island. Different criteria were used to approve the major disaster declarations. In Louisiana the declaration was issued the same day that the event occurred, but the declaration on Puerto Rico was issued three days after Maria, and five days after Hurricane Irma. Plus, FEMA used a pilot program on the Island without knowing the true status of residents. Also, according to the press report, a FEMA spokesperson said that “the Puerto Rico assistance is not comparable with the states of the United States, because in the mainland the cost of living is higher”. However, construction materials are more-costly in Puerto Rico than in Texas and Florida, according to a Home Depot products comparison realized in this report. 4 5 Introduction During the last couple of years, hurricanes have been catastrophic for the United States and its territories. In August 2005, Louisiana was impacted by Hurricane Katrina. In August 2017, Texas was affected by Hurricane Harvey. During September 2017, Florida, the US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico were affected by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. In this report, the relevant measures taken by the United States government to respond to losses after the hurricanes are discussed. Section 1. Demographic, socioeconomic and housing data of counties affected by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria In this section, the demographic, economic, and housing data of the states affected by hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria are discussed. The state with the largest population in 2016 was Texas (12.9 million). Puerto Rico had the smallest number of inhabitants (3.5 million). However, Florida (19%) and Puerto Rico (17%) had the largest percent of persons with 65 years old and over. This population segment is very vulnerable after events such as hurricanes. On the other hand, Puerto Rico confronted more social, economic, and fiscal crises than the other locations affected by these hurricanes. These crises put Puerto Ricans at greater risk than other citizens affected by hurricanes. During 2016, five out of ten people lived below the poverty level in Puerto Rico and 18% were unemployed, as shown in Table 1.1. Also, the per capita income in Florida, Texas and the US Virgin Islands was more than double that of Puerto Rico ($11,688). Furthermore, 86% of all infrastructure in Puerto Rico was built before 2000. In other words, all the socio-economic indicators show that Puerto Rico had higher vulnerability than other U.S. locations affected by these hurricanes. 5 6 Table 1.1. Demographic, socioeconomic and housing data of Puerto Rico, Florida and Texas, 2016 1 Puerto Rico
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