What can be learned from Texas about recovery after a natural disaster – Santa Monica Daily Press

Can California learn from other states about home restoration after a natural disaster?

This is the idea behind Assembly Bill 239 by assemblyMember John HarabedianDemocrat from a freshman from Pasadena, whose area was at the center of fire at 14,000 acres of Ethan. The bill modeled after a hurricane response plan in Texas is intended to accelerate housing By coordinating federal, state and local responses through a state working group to deal with Ethan’s Palisades and Fires.

“I think government agencies generally don’t do a good job to talk to each other,” Harabedian told Calmatters. “There is not much coordination of these types of things, because natural disasters, fortunately, do not happen as often.”

The concept of state-guided working group is derived from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Hurricane Catherine seriously damaged New Orleans and the bay coast in 2005 and made a little progress in the restoration of housing even six years later, the agency said in a note since 2011S

Texas undertook this recommendation in 2019, two years after Hurricane Harvey, which caused more than $ 125 billion damage and “emphasized critical gaps in the ability of Texas to ensure timely and effective restoration of housing for the displaced residents,” according to the cabinet of the cabinet Harabedian.

Harabedian’s bill is similar to the Law of Texas: he would set up a working group with representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the governor of the Emergency Services Office, the State Housing Department and the local authorities. The working group will accelerate the reaction of housing in fires in Los Angeles County, which have damaged or destroyed approximately 18,000 homes and other structures.

This group will appoint a state -owned disaster dwelling coordinator to control the distribution of money, coordinate the efforts between different levels of governance, and it will be necessary to report the progress of the reimbursement of the housing in the affected areas of the legislature quarterly. If it is passed and enters into law, it will enter into force immediately.

“I think it is difficult for any jurisdiction to coordinate in all these formations outside the state, as our local leaders are hyper focused and do a huge job of meeting the immediate needs of their communities,” said the Assembly member Isaac BrianDemocrat from the city of Culver, who co -authored the bill. “I think the state and the federal government are more responsible to look both regional and after.”

The Harabedian Office said the date of sunset on the working group is still being discussed.

In Texas Disaster Recovery has been sunk into a dispute – including allegations from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development that the Texas General Land Service has incorrectly concluded the mitigation of the floods after the hurricane Harvey. Yet the law has an impact on improving coordination between different levels of management in dealing with housing recovery after a natural disaster, said Michel Annette Meyer, Director of the Center for Reducing and Recovery in Texas A&M University, which helped for the university, who helped the university that helped DraftS However, most of the impact is by promoting planning before disasters, a provision that is not in the bill in California.

The bill is expected to be considered at a committee hearing in mid -February, but at least one group is in early support: the economic partnership in San Gabriel Valley, which is advocating policies to strengthen the region’s economy.

Louis Portilo, president of the group, said he liked what he sees in the bill so far because it includes measures for the restoration of homes, especially for the black community in Altadena, where the ownership of the home is 81%compared to 36% across the countryS

“People can’t wait … five or eight years for their house to be restored,” he said. “In the end, they will just give up and say,” I will take the money I received from my insurance for a house I would buy somewhere else. “

Los Angeles County’s supervisors did not respond to requests for an interview on how the state -headed working group would work with existing efforts, but a spokesman for head Lindsay Horwat said there was a residential working group specifically for the restoration of a district development of the county Los Angeles that there is a residential working group led by the development of Los Angeles County, led by the development of Los Angeles County, led by the development of Los Angeles County, led by the development of Los Angeles County in Los Angeles, led by Los Angeles County in Los Angeles County in Los Angeles County, led by Los Angeles County, Los Angeles County authority.

His website Links to an application for help to federal assistance, as well as resources at the level of tax, support for children and business care.

Harabedian, who was previously mayor of Sierra Madre, said his proposal was not intended to compete with any local working group- but to complement the efforts.

“Indeed, what we need is a defender,” said Harabedian, who started in disaster management within weeks after his term as a member of the meeting begins. “I think, in fact, the opportunity to appoint a state coordinator that is coordinated with FEMA and these local agencies and working groups is really key.”

By Sameea Kamal. This article was originally published by CalmattersS