The independent commission's report examined how FEMA's response efforts differed between Harvey, which killed at least 68 people in Texas, and Maria, which killed 2,975 in Puerto Rico. The response in Texas was on a "larger scale" and faster than the response in Puerto Rico. The slow pace from federal agencies significantly affected the recovery of Maria survivors, according to the report.
FEMA already having supplies and personnel available in Texas in preparation for Harvey is a reason aid was quicker, the commission found. The scarcity of Spanish-speaking FEMA staff members also affected the agency's response in Puerto Rico.
Relief funding was disproportionately distributed by FEMA which approved $141.8 million for individual assistance to Harvey victims and $6.2 million for Maria survivors, according to the report. In the immediate aftermath of Maria, FEMA received over 1.1 million applications for individual housing assistance in Puerto Rico and denied 60% of them.
The study found that survivors in Texas received $1.28 billion in aid within two months after Harvey made landfall, while it took four months for Maria survivors to receive $1 billion in aid after landfall. FEMA was the "first responder in the early response efforts in Puerto Rico," and provided services "typically provided by territorial or local governments," the agency wrote in its 2017 Hurricane Season After-Action Report.
After both storms, the application and appeals process for survivors was challenging, according to the report. In a survey of Harvey survivors, more than half of the respondents weren't receiving the assistance they needed to get back on their feet, and those who were denied help weren't told the reason for their denials or given information on how to re-apply.
Clearer guidelines to apply for aid and a more streamlined portal that's able to share data across all responding agencies on the federal, state and local levels are needed, the commission found. The portal would be a first step in the commission's goal in increasing collaboration across federal agencies, local governments and aid organizations.
Help the marginalized first
Hurricane Harvey and Maria caused catastrophic damage and affected many underserved communities were not focused on enough during FEMA's disaster responses, the commission found.
The commission recommended people of color, low-income people, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQ communities and other marginalized individuals be the primary focus of recovery efforts during disasters.
"The loss of lives following the hurricanes was especially evident among the elderly, persons with medical conditions and energy dependency," Norma V. Cantú, chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, said in a news release. "We found federal agencies should adopt a flexible policy to provide aid to those in need, including providing access to technology to address the digital divide, and adopting a paper application process when survivors are without access to electricity or Internet."
To better help the disabled during responses, the commission advised FEMA to provide disability training to all of its shelter personnel, including registration, medical and security workers. After Harvey, there was an increased number of people with disabilities who had to leave their homes and go to institutional settings, according to the study.
FEMA hiring and training staff fluent in languages spoken in the disaster areas is another idea the commission found that could ensure non-English speaking people have the information, applications and assistance they need before and after recovery.
The commission conducted three briefings with agencies including FEMA, Department of Homeland Security and Housing and Urban Development. It also heard testimonies from advocates, legal experts and those affected by the hurricanes.
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