National Disaster Housing Strategy

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting comments on the National Disaster Housing Strategy (NDHS). The NDHS is intended to serve two purposes. It describes how we as a Nation currently provide housing to those affected by disasters, and charts the new direction that our disaster housing efforts must take if we are to better meet the emergent needs of disaster victims and communities. DATES: Comments must be received by September 22, 2008. The National Disaster Housing Strategy (NDHS), serves as a guide to how the Nation currently provides housing after a disaster, and sets a course for improving the methods in which we can provide housing to meet the emergent needs of disaster victims and communities. As requested by Congress in Section 683 of the Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006, Public Law 109-295, the NDHS is intended to begin a long-term effort to build on current strengths and encourage all involved to work collaboratively and seek innovative housing solutions. It intends to establish a strong foundation based on clear roles and responsibilities, key principles to guide national efforts, a joint planning process to build baseline capabilities, and additional resources to better prepare for an impending or emergent event. The NDHS promotes a national housing effort that engages all levels of government and the private sector to collectively meet the urgent housing needs of disaster victims and to enable individuals, households and communities to rebuild and restore their way of life following a disaster. A key concept introduced in the NDHS is the National Disaster Housing Task Force to bring together experts and policymakers whose efforts would be dedicated exclusively to the disaster housing issue. The NDHS draws on best practices and lessons learned over the years to identify actions that can be taken to improve disaster housing assistance. This effort began with realigning roles and responsibilities, renewing our focus on planning, building baseline capabilities, and providing a broader range of flexible disaster housing options. The NDHS outlines a vision, supported by specific goals, that will point the Nation in a new direction to meet the disaster housing needs of individuals and communities going forward. FEMA solicits comments on the draft NDHS which is available in Docket ID FEMA-2008-0009 at http://www.regulations.gov. Although it is not currently open for comment, FEMA has also provided a copy of the 2008 Disaster Housing Plan (Housing Plan) in the docket to aid the public in its review of the NDHS. The Housing Plan describes FEMA's approach to working with Federal partners, States, territories, local communities, and individual disaster victims to meet disaster housing needs during the 2008 hurricane season. Key concepts in the Housing Plan are further defined in the NDHS.