By Laura DeKoven Waxman
February 1, 2010

New Orleans Mayor Nagin Calls for Major Reforms to Stafford Disaster Assistance Act

By Laura DeKoven Waxman

Commenting that he's been struck that what's happening in Haiti is so similar to what happened in New Orleans after Katrina, including looting and the inability to get goods and supplies to people who need them, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin expressed concern that the Stafford Act is the same as it was when Katrina hit New Orleans and that if another disaster strikes, mayors will have to rely on an outdated law. The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act is the federal law that supports preparation for and response to disasters.

Nagin chairs the Conference Task Force on Stafford Act Reform, which has been working since late last Summer to develop a comprehensive set of recommendations for reforming Stafford Act law, policy and regulation. Twenty-four cities from across the nation were represented on the Task Force by their mayors, emergency managers, and other staff. The Task Force met regularly via conference calls.

Nagin and the Task Force's Vice Chair Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson presented the Task Force's report to the Conference's Executive Committee, which unanimously adopted a resolution incorporating its recommendations. The report (available at www.usmayors.org) contains detailed recommendations which call for changes in Stafford Act law and policy that will:

• Provide for catastrophic disaster designation to speed up funding availability and recovery;

• Require Catastrophic Disaster Housing Plans to meet community needs;

• Adequately fund and streamline the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program;

• Increase funding for and improve administration of programs to meet needs of individuals and communities experiencing disasters and host communities providing assistance;

• Finalize the National Disaster Housing Plan and Improve Disaster Housing;

• Reform insurance regulations to facilitate disaster recovery;

• Reform disaster assistance programs to facilitate recovery;

• Adequately fund and support preparedness and response activities;

• Increase FEMA's administrative and response capabilities; and

• Consolidate all Stafford Act statutory and regulatory provisions.

Nagin acknowledged the efforts of the Obama Administration to improve the Federal Emergency Management Agency's administration of disaster programs to establish a working group on disaster recovery headed by the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Homeland Security. He asked mayors to send the Task Force report to their Congressional delegations and urge them to support legislation to reform the Stafford Act.