Fixing FEMA

Equal access, regulatory compliance, and information transparency during disaster recovery are not optional.

[fixingfema]

Pallone Calls for Investigation into Christie’s Misuse of Disaster Aid for Political Gain

Pallone Calls for Investigation into Christie’s Misuse of Disaster Aid for Political Gain

Had Governor Christie chosen the less expensive firm, $2.2 million in federal disaster aid could have potentially been directed elsewhere, for example, to provide 44 Sandy impacted homeowners $50,000 grants to raise their homes.

via Pallone Calls for Investigation into Christie’s Misuse of Disaster Aid for Political Gain | Congressman Frank Pallone.

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Unexplained Accounting Gaps in NY Rising's 4th Quarter Report to HUD

Source: NY Rising – October 1, 2014 thru December 31, 2014 Performance Report

Each quarter, the folks who run the failed NY Rising Hurricane Sandy disaster recovery program are required to provide a report of performance, operations, results, etc…

Among other things, there is some important information included for each program activity category in the following funds accounting designations:

To…

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FEMA Continues to Operate According To "Regulations" That Only the Agency Knows About

FEMA spends a lot of time making allegations that various things the agency is doing or not doing are required by “applicable regulations.”

However, often the things the agency is doing clearly contradict applicable regulations. Examples are readily available in the areas of disability regulations (including civil rights directives such as Executive Order 12250), the due process clauses of the…

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Artist's Interpretation of Disaster Recovery Official Explaining The "Rules"

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Info about the Moreland Act from the Guide to Records of the Governor's Office

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Never Expected so Many Personal Statements on the Moreland Petition...

Never Expected so Many Personal Statements on the Moreland Petition…

When I posted a petition last weekend on Change.org asking Governor Cuomo to investigate the NY Rising program, I didn’t really know what to expect.

I had just read about the Moreland Act, and thought that it offered some valuable tools for the public to encourage state agencies to fix their Sandy Recovery programs.

To be honest, my first introduction to the Act was in news stories about a DOJ…

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Inspiring words on community oversight - DOJ's Preet Bharara in Moreland Commission testimony Source: U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Testifies At The Public Hearing Of The Moreland Commission To Investigate Public Corruption…

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U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Testifies at the Public Hearing of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Testifies at the Public Hearing of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption

…as Edward R. Murrow once observed, “A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves.”

via U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Testifies at the Public Hearing of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption.

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Comment on the Moreland Commission Petition to Cuomo

Comment on the Moreland Commission Petition to Cuomo

Case Workers are ill prepared and have no actual knowledge of what their jobs are. Rules and requirements change weekly, if not daily Petition · Convene a Moreland Commission to investigate mismanagement of NYS Housing Trust Fund Corporation's NY Rising and other disaster recovery programs · Change.org

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A Survivor's Tale: Superstorm Sandy, Two Years Out | Berkeley, NJ Patch

A Survivor’s Tale: Superstorm Sandy, Two Years Out | Berkeley, NJ Patch

I try to forget the fear I felt, knowing Superstorm Sandy was barreling towards us. I try to forget my pathetic efforts to prepare for the massive storm. I try to push away the thoughts that it could happen again.

via A Survivor's Tale: Superstorm Sandy, Two Years Out | Berkeley, NJ Patch.

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730 Days Later, It's Still Day Zero For Camp Osborn Man Left Homeless By Sandy | Brick, NJ Patch

730 Days Later, It’s Still Day Zero For Camp Osborn Man Left Homeless By Sandy | Brick, NJ Patch

“I haven’t bought anything with the insurance money because I have nowhere to put it,” he said. “What am I supposed to do, buy a refrigerator and pay rent on a storage unit?”

via 730 Days Later, It's Still Day Zero For Camp Osborn Man Left Homeless By Sandy | Brick, NJ Patch.

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Guess What Happens When Every Disaster Agency Blames Someone Else

Guess What Happens When Every Disaster Agency Blames Someone Else

NY Rising has changed the rules timeless times, they have made empty promises and when questioned they blame HUD. HUD does not make the rules, they approve the rules. The GOSR & NY Rising can propose rules to HUD that streamline, not stop our recovery.

via Little house on the coast: An open letter to the members of the New York State Senate.

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NY Rising "Rules" Deny Due Process to the Sandy Homeless

NY Rising “Rules” Deny Due Process to the Sandy Homeless

The problem with the 50/50 award system is that once the first 50% of the grant award runs out all construction stops. Once construction stops there is no way to get the second 50% to finish the work.

via Little house on the coast: An open letter to the members of the New York State Senate.

Congress approved funding in 2013, but due to NY Rising “rules” those who are eligible and who need it are…

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NY Rising is Most Expensive Piggy Bank in History

NY Rising is Most Expensive Piggy Bank in History

The disaster aid money that the State of New York has received to help Long Island rebuild from Super Storm Sandy is still tangled in red tape and effectively blocked from Long Island families by the Governor’s Office of Storm Recovery (GOSR) and NY Rising.

via Little house on the coast: An open letter to the members of the New York State Senate.

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FEMA Sandy: Where Federal Regulations Go to Die

FEMA Sandy: Where Federal Regulations Go to Die

had flood insurance and did not receive enough to rebuild, then took out SBA loan now in debt Many families are in this mess @NYGovCuomo

— Debbie Gialanze (@StopfemanowLBNY) February 12, 2015

This is just one example of what happens when you combine flood insurance fraud, with agencies inventing rules as they go, together with absolutely no oversight, accountability, or common sense.

Not what…

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In 2013, Congress Approved Funding to Solve this Problem

In 2013, Congress Approved Funding to Solve this Problem

” I am homeless, paying a mortgage and rent and other expenses” words of many homeowners still struggling 2yrspost Sandy @NYGovCuomo FIX IT

— Debbie Gialanze (@StopfemanowLBNY) February 12, 2015

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FEMA's Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Is Dangerously Underfunded » Disaster Accountability Blog Disaster Accountability Blog: Public Accountability Requires Citizen Action (disasteraccountability.org)

FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Is Dangerously Underfunded » Disaster Accountability Blog Disaster Accountability Blog: Public Accountability Requires Citizen Action (disasteraccountability.org)

Perhaps the most significant point made during the hearing was that FEMA has not implemented a natural disaster plan for the disabled. Roth testified that while FEMA has researched a plan to evacuate and shelter disabled persons, it has yet to implement it as the ODIC faces serious budgetary and staffing shortfalls.

via FEMA’s Office of Disability Integration and Coordination Is Dangerously…

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