September marks National Preparedness Month and serves as a reminder that timely preparation for natural disasters will help keep communities and families safe. This year’s theme is “Start A Conversation.” Initiating a conversation with your communities and families ensures proper preparation is a priority.

The national campaign under the Federal Emergency Management Agency also emphasizes preparation activities for older adults who live alone, are low-income, or have a disability.

Community managers and boards have access to the new web resources, available in English and Spanish, at Ready.gov/older-adults and Ready.gov/es/adultos-mayores. For more information on disaster planning for residents with disabilities visit  Ready.gov/disability or Ready.gov/es/discapacidad.

This month, CAI Advocacy will start a conversation with members to ensure community associations are planning, reviewing resources, and preparing for natural disasters. We encourage you to share the following resources and advocacy initiatives with your neighbors, family members, and communities.

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS FOR COMMUNITY ASSOCIATIONS

The Foundation for  Community Association Research published a Best Practices Report on Natural Disasters with an emphasis on disaster planning and preparedness for community associations. Every community should have a disaster plan.  This best practice report will get you started.

According to FEMA, natural disasters and severe weather have caused immense damage to communities across the U.S. this year. Wildfires in California and Maui, Hawaii, hurricanes in California, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, blizzards in the Northeast, and tornadoes and floods in the Midwest have caused considerable damage and upheaval in many communities.

Cleanup and rebuilding are the primary focus for community associations affected by these disasters. There are steps community managers and boards should take now to increase the possibility of receiving assistance from FEMA for debris removal immediately following a presidentially declared emergency.

DEBRIS REMOVAL FROM PRIVATE COMMUNITIES

If your community owns its roads, they are considered private. FEMA has specific requirements for removing debris from private roads. Debris must be removed by your local municipality; FEMA will not reimburse the community association for debris removal.

If your community association did not submit a right of entry indemnification form prior to the natural disaster, follow these steps before hiring a contractor to remove debris:

  1. Contact your local municipality as soon as possible and provide it with an example of a resolution the locality may pass to meet the legal obligation of removing debris. Complete a right of entry indemnification form, which FEMA requires for reimbursements.
  2. Wait for your locality to remove debris since only localities can be reimbursed by FEMA. The community association will not be reimbursed by FEMA for debris removal.
  3. Hire a private contactor only if denied assistance by FEMA.

Debris removal costs can be a financial burden for a community association. CAI believes all community association residents have the right to benefit from federal disaster response, recovery, and mitigation resources as taxpayers. CAI continues to advocate for closer coordination between community associations and FEMA to ensure community association interests are reflected in the design of federal disaster mitigation grants.

ADVOCATE FOR THE DISASTER ASSISTANCE FAIRNESS ACT

Indicating the importance of disaster preparedness, bipartisan legislation has been reintroduced in Congress. H.R. 3777, the Disaster Assistance Fairness Act, expands access to FEMA disaster assistance to community associations.

Reps. David Rouzer (R-N.C.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) are leading the legislation. Under current law, FEMA inconsistently interprets regulations preventing community associations from qualifying for federal disaster response and recovery programs. H.R. 3777 will ensure housing cooperatives, condominiums, and homeowners associations are eligible for the same FEMA assistance available to other homeowners.

Please take a moment to contact your member of Congress and share your perspective on the importance of this legislation for you, your community, and/or your community clients. 

 

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