This is the accessible text file for GAO report number GAO-07-809R entitled 'Preliminary Information on Rebuilding Efforts in the Gulf Coast' which was released on June 29, 2007. This text file was formatted by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) to be accessible to users with visual impairments, as part of a longer term project to improve GAO products' accessibility. Every attempt has been made to maintain the structural and data integrity of the original printed product. Accessibility features, such as text descriptions of tables, consecutively numbered footnotes placed at the end of the file, and the text of agency comment letters, are provided but may not exactly duplicate the presentation or format of the printed version. The portable document format (PDF) file is an exact electronic replica of the printed version. We welcome your feedback. Please E-mail your comments regarding the contents or accessibility features of this document to Webmaster@gao.gov. This is a work of the U.S. government and is not subject to copyright protection in the United States. It may be reproduced and distributed in its entirety without further permission from GAO. Because this work may contain copyrighted images or other material, permission from the copyright holder may be necessary if you wish to reproduce this material separately. June 29, 2007: The Honorable Joseph I. Lieberman: Chairman: The Honorable Susan M. Collins: Ranking Member: Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs: United States Senate: Subject: Preliminary Information on Rebuilding Efforts in the Gulf Coast: The size and scope of the devastation caused by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes presents the nation with unprecedented rebuilding challenges.[Footnote 1] These storms destroyed wide swaths of housing, infrastructure, and businesses and displaced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. Today, nearly two years since these hurricanes made landfall, rebuilding efforts are at a critical turning point. The Gulf Coast and the nation are facing the daunting challenges of rebuilding. Our recent work in southern Louisiana and New Orleans confirms that some communities are still without basic needs, such as schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, while the doors of many businesses remain closed. Over the coming years, perhaps decades, many neighborhoods and communities will need to be rebuilt--some from the ground up. At the same time, major decisions will need to be made regarding a wide range of issues including coastal restoration, levee protection, infrastructure, land use, and economic recovery. Agreeing on what rebuilding will be done, where, how, and--particularly important--who will bear the costs will be key to moving forward with the rebuilding process. To assist you in your oversight responsibilities, we briefed your staff on several occasions during the past few months on the results of our preliminary work in Louisiana and Mississippi--the two states most directly affected by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.[Footnote 2] This letter transmits information provided during those briefings (see enc. I). Specifically, these slides (1) place the federal assistance provided to date in the context of the resources likely needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast; (2) discuss two key federal programs that provide rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states, with an emphasis on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; (3) describe differences in Louisiana's and Mississippi's approach to using CDBG funds; and (4) provide some observations on planning activities in Louisiana and Mississippi and the role of the federal government in coordinating Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. We also raise a number of questions that the committee may wish to consider in carrying out its oversight function in reviewing rebuilding efforts in the Gulf Coast. We have since updated some of the information in enclosure I, using new information, which became available after the briefings. In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma battered the Gulf Coast region, devastating whole communities and neighborhoods, leaving hundreds of thousands of people without shelter and employment. Hurricane Katrina--the first of these storms--made landfall in Mississippi and Louisiana in August 2005 and alone caused more damage than any other single natural disaster in the history of the United States. Katrina destroyed over 300,000 homes--nearly ten times the number of homes destroyed by Hurricanes Camille and Andrew combined-- and affected approximately 90,000 square miles--an area larger than the size of Great Britain.[Footnote 3] Hurricane Rita followed shortly in September 2005, making landfall in Texas and Louisiana. Hurricane Wilma was the last of these disasters to strike the region, making landfall in southern Florida in October 2005 and inflicting widespread damage across the state. Our work largely focused on rebuilding efforts in Louisiana and Mississippi--the two states most directly affected by the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes. In conducting our work, we toured affected parishes in southern Louisiana and several affected cities along the coast of Mississippi. Further, we interviewed officials from the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding and from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). We also met with a range of state and local officials in these states and representatives from private and nongovernment organizations. In addition, to place the federal assistance provided to date in the context of the resources likely needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast, we reviewed the funds designated for hurricane relief and rebuilding in the four emergency supplemental appropriations acts enacted between September 2005 and June 2006. We also drew on our previous work that examined federal funding for the 2005 Gulf Coast hurricanes.[Footnote 4] Further, we reviewed two studies on the estimated costs of the impacts of the 2005 hurricanes.[Footnote 5] Although we found no study that comprehensively estimated costs, these studies--which estimated selected categories of losses--were generally the broadest in scope based on our search of readily available studies. We did not independently verify the accuracy of information included in these studies. To discuss two key federal programs that provide rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states, we reviewed federal statutes and HUD regulations governing the CDBG program and FEMA written policies and procedures for disbursing funds to public assistance grantees. We also obtained data from FEMA on the amount of Public Assistance funds obligated to Louisiana and Mississippi and reviewed state documentation from Louisiana and Mississippi related to each state's use or planned use of CDBG funding. To describe differences in Louisiana's and Mississippi's approach to using CDBG funds, we analyzed key documentation from Louisiana and Mississippi regarding each state's homeowner assistance programs and criteria for disbursing CDBG funding. We focused on the states' homeowner assistance programs, given that Louisiana and Mississippi allocated the vast majority of their share of CDBG funding to homeowner assistance. To provide observations on planning activities in Louisiana and Mississippi, we reviewed state and local planning documents on long-and short-term planning rebuilding activities in each state and met with a range of representatives from nonprofit and private agencies involved in various planning efforts across the state. Further, in Louisiana, we observed local planning meetings in Orleans Parish, while in Mississippi, we observed planning activities in the city of Biloxi. We conducted our work between July 2006 and June 2007 in accordance with generally accepted government auditing standards. Summary: While the federal government has provided billions of dollars in assistance to the Gulf Coast, a substantial portion of this aid was directed to short-term needs, leaving a smaller portion for long-term rebuilding. It may be useful to view this assistance in the context of the costs of damages incurred by the region and the resources that may be needed to rebuild. While there are no definitive or comprehensive estimates of costs, the various estimates of aspects of these costs offer a sense of their magnitude. For example, estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) put capital losses resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in the range of $70 billion to $130 billion[Footnote 6] while another estimate from the Center for Business and Economic Research at Marshall University put losses solely from Hurricane Katrina--including capital losses--at over $150 billion.[Footnote 7] In addition, the State of Louisiana estimates that the economic impact on its state alone could reach $200 billion. Such estimates raise important questions regarding additional assistance that will be needed to help the Gulf Coast rebuild--including how the assistance will be provided and by whom. To date, the federal government has provided most long-term rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states through two key programs, which follow different funding models. Specifically, FEMA's Public Assistance program provides funding primarily to state and local governments to repair and rebuild damaged public infrastructure for specific projects that meet program eligibility requirements, as defined by the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act).[Footnote 8] The Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) CDBG program, on the other hand, provides funding for neighborhood revitalization and housing rehabilitation activities, affording states broad discretion and flexibility in deciding how to allocate these funds and for what purposes. To date, the affected states have received $16.7 billion in CDBG funding from supplemental appropriations----so far, the largest share of funding specifically targeted to long-term rebuilding.[Footnote 9] With the vast number of homes that sustained damage in Louisiana and Mississippi, both of these states allocated the bulk of their CDBG funds to homeowner assistance.[Footnote 10] Specifically, each state developed an assistance program to compensate homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the 2005 hurricanes. With many of its residents living in other states and debating whether to return to Louisiana, Louisiana's Road Home program aims to encourage homeowners to return to the state and begin rebuilding.[Footnote 11] Mississippi's homeowner assistance program--administered in two phases--aims to compensate homeowners who suffered losses due to Katrina's storm surge. Phase I is targeted to homeowners located outside FEMA's designated flood plain who were otherwise insured, while Phase II is targeted to uninsured or underinsured homeowners located in or outside the flood plain. As of May 30, 2007, Louisiana has received 141,235 applications and awarded 23,043 grants to eligible homeowners. For Phase I of its program, Mississippi has received 18,965 applications and awarded payments to 12,950 eligible homeowners. Mississippi has received 11,529 applications for Phase II of its program and awarded 28 grants to eligible homeowners. Restoration of the region's housing and infrastructure is taking place in the context of broader planning and coordination activities. In Louisiana and Mississippi, state and local governments are engaged in both short-and long-term planning efforts. For example, the Louisiana Recovery Authority has coordinated a statewide rebuilding planning effort and has developed a comprehensive rebuilding plan that will help direct rebuilding policy and Louisiana's long-term spending over the next 50 years. Mississippi created an overall plan to serve as a framework for subsequent planning efforts in affected areas of the state, based on the work of the Governor's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal.[Footnote 12] Moreover, the President established the position of Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to coordinate and support the rebuilding activities at the federal, state, and local levels. As states and localities begin to develop plans for rebuilding, there are difficult policy decisions Congress will need to make about the federal government's contribution to the rebuilding effort and the role the federal government might play over the long-term in an era of competing priorities. Based on our preliminary work, we raise a number of questions the Committee may wish to consider in carrying out its oversight of Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts, to include the following: * How much will it cost to rebuild the Gulf Coast and how much of this cost should the federal government bear? * How effective are current funding delivery mechanisms--such as Public Assistance and CDBG--and should they be modified or supplemented by other mechanisms? * How can the federal government further partner with state and local governments and the nonprofit and private sectors to leverage the public investment in rebuilding? We provided the Secretary of DHS with a draft of this report on May 11, 2007. In its oral response, DHS informed us that it had no formal comments on the report. We also provided Louisiana and Mississippi officials an opportunity to review relevant aspects of this report. Any technical or clarifying comments that they provided as part of that review have been incorporated where appropriate. We are sending copies of this report to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Coordinator for Gulf Coast Rebuilding, and interested congressional committees. We will make copies to others on request. In addition, the report will be available on GAO's Web site at http://www.gao.gov. If you or your staff have questions regarding this report, please contact me at (202) 512-6806 or by email at czerwinskis@gao.gov. Individuals making key contributions to this report include Charlesetta Bailey, Dean Campbell, Roshni Davé, Peter Del Toro, Laura Kunz, Brenda Rabinowitz, Michael Springer, and Diana Zinkl. Signed by: Stanley J. Czerwinski: Director, Strategic Issues: Enclosure: [End of section] Enclosure: Briefing Slides: Preliminary Information on Gulf Coast Rebuilding: Objectives: As agreed, our objectives were to: (1) place the federal assistance provided to date in the context of the resources likely needed to rebuild the Gulf Coast; (2) identify the key federal programs that provide rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states with an emphasis on the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program; (3) describe differences in Louisiana's and Mississippi's approach to using CDBG funds; and: (4) provide some observations on planning activities in Louisiana and Mississippi and the role of the federal government in coordinating Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts. In addition, we raise a number of questions that Congress may wish to consider in carrying out its oversight of the Gulf Coast. Scope and Methodology: For this work, we: * Interviewed federal, state, and local officials in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Washington, D.C. * Observed local recovery planning meetings in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Biloxi, Mississippi. * Reviewed and analyzed federal, state, and local documentation on a range of issues related to Gulf Coast rebuilding efforts, such as CDBG funding allocations, state homeowner assistance programs, and state an local planning efforts. * Reviewed selected studies related to the budgetary and economic impacts of Hurricanes Rita and Katrina. Background: The Impact of Hurricane Camille: [See PDF for image] Source: DHS. [End of figure] Background: The Impact of Hurricane Andrew: [See PDF for image] Source: DHS. [End of figure] Background: The Impact of Hurricanes Camille and Andrew Compared to Hurricane Katrina: [See PDF for image] Source: DHS. [End of figure] A Relatively Small Portion of Federal Assistance Targeted to Long-Term Rebuilding, While Loss Estimates Suggest Great Need: To respond to the Gulf Coast devastation, the federal government committed over $110 billion in resources through grants, loan subsidies, and tax relief and incentives. * The bulk of this assistance was provided to 23 agencies through four emergency supplemental appropriations totaling $88 billion.[footnote 13] [See PDF for image] [End of figure] A substantial portion of this assistance was directed to emergency and short-term needs, such as relocation assistance, emergency housing, immediate levee repair, and debris removal. Consequently, a relatively small portion of federal assistance provided thus far is available for longer-term rebuilding activities, such as the restoration of the region's housing and infrastructure. Moreover, it may be useful to view this assistance in the context of the costs of damages incurred by the region and the resources needed to rebuild. * Early damage estimates from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) put capital losses (to include housing, consumer durable good, and energy and other private sector and government losses) from Hurricanes Rita and Katrina at a range of $70 billion to $ 130 billion.[Footnote 14] * Another estimate from the Center for Business and Economic Research at Marshall University put losses solely from Hurricane Katrina-to include capital losses-at over $150 billion. This estimate was limited to damages affecting commercial structures and equipment, residential structures and contents, electrical utilities, highways, sewer systems, and commercial revenue losses.[Footnote 15] Further, the state of Louisiana estimates that the economic impact on its state alone could reach $200 billion. While the exact costs of damages and rebuilding the Gulf Coast may never be known, they will likely surpass those from the three costliest disasters in recent history-Hurricane Andrew, the September 2001 terrorist attacks, and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Table: Disaster: Hurricane Andrew (1992); Type of disaster: Category 5 hurricane; Cost in billions(2005 dollars): $38.5. Disaster: Northridge earthquake (1994); Type of disaster: Earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale; Cost in billions(2005 dollars): $448.7. Disaster: September 11 attacks (2001); Type of disaster: Act of terrorism; Cost in billions(2005 dollars): $87.0. Source: CBO. [End of table] Two Key Federal Programs That Provide Long-Term Rebuilding Assistance Use Different Approaches: The federal government has provided long-term rebuilding assistance to the Gulf Coast states through 2 key programs-FEMA's Public Assistance and HUD's CDBG programs. Each of these programs follow different funding models. Public Assistance: * Project-based grants that provide assistance primarily to state and local governments to repair and rebuild damaged public infrastructure and includes activities such as removing debris, repairing roads, and reconstructing government buildings, and utilities. * Pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act),[Footnote 16] and FEMA regulations, this assistance is limited to either a fixed-dollar amount or a percentage of eligible costs for restoring damaged facilities or other eligible projects. To receive public assistance, applicants must submit requests for work which are then considered for eligibility, based on criteria under the Stafford Act and FEMA regulations. Specifically, * Proposed work is considered for eligibility through "project worksheets"-applications for specific funding amounts to complete discrete work segments. Among other things, project worksheets document the scope of the work, cost estimates, damage descriptions and dimensions, and special considerations for each work segment. * FEMA obligates funds for approved projects, providing specific amounts to complete discrete work segments on large projects. States reimburse applicants for costs that meet the Stafford Act's public assistance eligibility criteria and FEMA reimburses the states for the federal share. As of June 15, 2007, FEMA has obligated over $4.6 billion to Louisiana and over $2 billion to Mississippi through its public assistance program.[Footnote 17] Community Development Block Grant: Formula-based grants that afford states and local governments a great deal of discretion in designing directed neighborhood revitalization, housing rehabilitation, and economic development activities. During disasters, such as the Gulf Coast hurricanes, Congress has provided even greater flexibility when allocating additional CDBG funds to affected communities and states. * Other examples of CDBG funds supporting recovery efforts during disasters include: in New York City following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001; in Oklahoma City following the bombing of the Alfred Murrah Building in 1995; and in the city and county of Los Angeles following the riots of 1992. To date, the affected states have received $16.7 billion in CDBG funding from the supplemental appropriations-which is, so far, the largest share of funding specifically targeted to rebuilding.[Footnote 18] Louisiana and Mississippi were allocated the largest shares of CDBG appropriations, with $10.4 billion allocated to Louisiana, and another $5.5 billion allocated to Mississippi. Florida, Alabama, and Texas received the remaining share of funds.[Footnote 19] [See PDF for image] Source: GAO analysis of Louisiana Recovery Authority and Mississippi Development Authority. [End of figure] To receive CDBG funds, HUD required that each state submit an action plan describing how the funds would be used, including how the funds would address long-term "recovery and restoration of infrastructure." This process afforded each state broad discretion in deciding how to allocate its share of CDBG funding and for what purposes. Specifically, * Louisiana developed its action plans through the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA)-the state agency created at the direction of Governor Blanco and charged with coordinating and overseeing the state's rebuilding efforts-and through the state's Office of Community Development.[Footnote 20] These action plans were subject to the approval of Louisiana's state legislature. Mississippi developed its action plans through the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA)-the state's lead economic and community development agency-and the Governor's Office of Recovery and Renewal. In contrast to Louisiana, Mississippi's state legislature was not involved in the approval process for these state funding decisions. Consistent with HUD requirements, both Louisiana and Mississippi have published plans soliciting public input within their state regarding the planned use of CDBG funds. Both Louisiana and Mississippi allocated the majority of their share of CDBG funding to housing priorities. The remaining funds were allocated primarily to economic development and infrastructure. [See PDF for image] Source: GAO analysis of agency provided data. [A] In Mississippi, "other" refers to wind insurance mitigation and funds not yet programmed by the state. In Louisiana, "other" refers to funding for planning and administrative activities. [End of figure] Louisiana and Mississippi Target the Majority of Their CDBG Funds to Homeowners, but Differ in Their Policies: Both Louisiana and Mississippi directed the vast majority of their CDBG housing allocations to homeowners-tailoring their programs to address the particular conditions within their state. A portion of these allocations also was directed to other housing programs such as rental housing and public housing, as well as to projects that will alleviate costs associated with housing, such as utility and insurance costs. Louisiana and Mississippi homeowner assistance programs are similar in that each is designed to compensate homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed by the storms. Under each program, the amount of compensation that homeowners receive depends on the value of their homes before the storms and the amount of damage that was not covered by insurance or other forms of assistance. These programs, however, differ in their policies and eligibility requirements. Louisiana's Homeowner Assistance Program Aims to Restore a Displaced Population: Louisiana witnessed a significant population loss in the wake of the Gulf Coast hurricanes, with many residents living in other states and debating whether to return to Louisiana. The Louisiana Recovery Authority, in close consultation with state and federal agencies, developed a program to restore the housing infrastructure in Louisiana, using CDBG funds from the supplemental appropriations described earlier. Referred to as the Road Home, this program is designed to encourage homeowners to return to Louisiana and begin rebuilding. Under this program, homeowners who decide to stay in the state and rebuild in Louisiana are eligible for the full amount of grant assistance-up to $150,000-while those leaving the state will receive a lesser share. * Except for the elderly, residents who choose to sell their homes and leave the state will have their grant awards reduced by 40 percent. * Residents who did not have insurance at the time of the hurricanes will have their grant awards reduced by 30 percent. Further, to receive compensation, homeowners must comply with applicable code and zoning requirements and FEMA advisory base flood elevations when rebuilding and agree to use their home as a primary residence at some point during a 3-year period after closing. The Road Home Program began accepting applications on August 29, 2006. * As of May 30, 2007, the Road Home program has received 141,235 applications, of which 84,136 have been verified and an award amount had been calculated. * As of this date, 42,342 applicants have notified the program and decided on a course of action (for example, whether to rebuild or sell). * The program has awarded payments to 23,043 homeowners with an average award amount of $74,514. Mississippi's Homeowner Assistance Program Aims to Compensate Homeowners for Losses: In Mississippi, Katrina's storm sure destroyed tens of thousands of homes, many of which were located outside FEMA s designated flood plain and not covered by flood insurance. Mississippi developed a two-phase program to target homeowners who suffered losses due to the storm surge. Specifically, Phase I is designed to compensate homeowners whose properties were located outside the floodplain and had maintained hazard insurance at a minimum. * Eligible for up to $150,000 in compensation, homeowners are not subject to a requirement to rebuild. * To receive an award, eligible applicants must place a covenant on their property, providing that flood insurance will be maintained in perpetuity, the home will be rebuilt or repaired to local building codes, and if rebuilt, the home will be elevated to FEMA elevation standards. Phase II provides assistance to homeowners who received flood surge damage, regardless of whether the lived inside or outside the flood zone or had maintained insurance on their homes. Eligible applicants must have an annual income at or below 120 percent of the Area Median Income (which varies by county). * Eligible for up to $100 000 in grant awards, homeowners are not subject to a requirement to rebuild. * To receive an award, eligible applicants-like those in Phase I-must place a covenant on their property, providing that flood insurance will be maintained in perpetuity the home will be rebuilt or repaired to local building codes, and if rebuilt, the home will be elevated to FEMA elevation standards. * Homeowners who did not maintain insurance at the time of the storm will have their grant reduced by 30 percent, although this penalty does not apply to the "special needs" populations as defined by the state (i.e., elderly, disabled, and low income.) Mississippi's Homeowner Assistance Program began accepting applications in April 2006. * As of May 30, 2007, Mississippi had received 18,965 applications for Phase I of its program, of which 14,381 were determined eligible for consideration. Of those, Mississippi awarded payments to 12,950 homeowners, while 863 applications were still being processed. The average grant awarded was $69,669. * As of this date, Mississippi has received 11,529 applications for Phase II of its program, of which 4,130 were rolled over from the Phase I program.[Footnote 21] Mississippi has awarded payments to 28 eligible homeowners. Louisiana and Mississippi Are Engaged in Planning Activities, While the Federal Government Has Assumed a Coordination Role: In Louisiana, state and local governments are engaged in short-and long- term planning activities: At the state level, the LRA is coordinating a number of initiatives to support redevelopment through a multifaceted planning process that combines the efforts of federal, state, and local partners, experts and citizens. Referred to as Louisiana Speaks, the planning process is led by a team of professional planners and architects who have been retained to develop plans and resources for individual homeowners and businesses, communities and parishes, and the region. Through Louisiana Speaks: * an architectural planning tool (referred to as a "pattern book") has been developed and distributed for homeowners, architects, and permitting officials about how to redesign and rebuild commercial and residential buildings. * local design workshops-called "charrettes"-have been developed to guide neighborhood planning efforts in the impacted areas. * teams of professional planners, FEMA and LRA officials and representatives have worked with impacted parishes to develop long-term recovery plans. In addition, through public input, Louisiana Speaks also developed a regional plan for Southern Louisiana, focusing on a number of critical challenges for the state's redevelopment. * The regional plan evaluates economic, environmental, and social issues that affect Southern Louisiana and explores alternative ways that growth and development can be accommodated in the context of varying environmental, economic, and cultural changes. The state of Louisiana will use the regional plan to help direct rebuilding policy and Louisiana's long-term spending over the next 50 years. Figure: Illustration of Louisiana's Planning Process: [See PDF for image] Source: Louisiana Speaks. [End of figure] Highlights of planning efforts in New Orleans: After a number of attempts to develop a rebuilding plan for New Orleans- including the Bring New Orleans Back Commission, efforts initiated by the city council, Urban Land Institute, and others-in August 2006, New Orleans embarked on a comprehensive rebuilding planning process, which continues to date. Referred to as the Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP), this effort was designed as a grassroots approach to planning. * UNOP's objective is to incorporate the vision of neighborhoods and districts into multiple district-level plans and one citywide plan that establishes goals and priorities for rebuilding the city. * UNOP's final citywide plan-approved by the city's planning commission in May 2007 and approved by the City Council in June 2007-includes priority programs and projects for repairing and rebuilding the city over a 5-to 10-year period and will help to inform critical funding and resource allocation decisions by state and federal agencies. In Mississippi, state and local governments are engaged in short-and long-term planning activities: At the state level Governor Barbour created the Governor's Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding and Renewal in September 2005 to identify rebuilding and redevelopment options for the state. * Comprised of over 20 committees-including both private and public involvement, the Commission held numerous public forums across multiple counties in an effort to solicit input and participation from residents throughout the state. * In December 2005, the commission's work culminated in a final report containing 238 policy recommendations aimed at addressing a range of rebuilding issues and concerns across the state, from infrastructure and economic development to human services and finance.[Footnote 22] The report also addressed potential financing mechanisms, identifying state, local, private, and federal sources. Further, the recommendations identified parties responsible for implementing the recommendations, including the creation of new state and regional entities to oversee selected recommendations. In addition, Governor Barbour created the Office of Recovery and Renewal to oversee and coordinate implementation of these recommendations. Also charged with identifying funding for rebuilding projects, the office continues to work with public and private entities as well as state and local governments. Further, local governments in south Mississippi are also engaged in rebuilding planning activities. * For example, the city of Biloxi established a volunteer steering committee-modeled after the Governor's Commission on Renewal and Recovery-to develop a rebuilding plan for the city. Biloxi's final rebuilding plan resulted in 162 recommendations to address core issues affecting the city, such as infrastructure, economic development, human services, and finance. In addition, the steering committee commissioned a separate rebuilding plan for East Biloxi-a low-lying area that had been heavily damaged by Hurricane Katrina-that included 27 recommendations for addressing this area of the city. * A number of other impacted communities in south Mississippi have undertaken planning initiatives as well. The administration established a mechanism to coordinate with-and support rebuilding activities at-the federal, state, and local levels: In November 2005, the President issued executive orders establishing two new entities to help provide a governmentwide response to federal rebuilding efforts. The first order created the position of Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region within the Department of Homeland Security.[Footnote 23] Accordingly, the Federal Coordinator is responsible for developing. principles and goals, leading the development of federal recovery activities, and monitoring the implementation of designated federal support. The Coordinator also serves as the administration's focal point for managing information flow, requests for actions, and discussions with Congress, state, and local governments, the private sector, and community leaders. Our discussions with state and local officials in Louisiana revealed a largely positive disposition towards the Federal Coordinator and his role in support of the Gulf Coast. During our field work, for example, Louisiana state and local officials said the Coordinator had played an integral role in helping to identify and negotiate an appropriate level of CDBG funding for the state. The second executive order established a Gulf Coast Recovery and Rebuilding Council within the Executive Office of the President for a period of 3 years.[Footnote 24] Chaired by the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, the council includes most members of the Cabinet and is charged with examining issues related to the furtherance of the President's policy on recovery and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. Selected Questions for Congressional Oversight of Gulf Coast Rebuilding: As states and localities beg in to assume responsibility for developing plans for rebuilding there are difficult policy decisions Congress will need to make about the federal government's contribution to the rebuilding effort and the role it might play over the long-term in an era of competing priorities. Based on our preliminary work and the issues raised in this report, Congress may wish to consider the following questions as it continues to carry out its critical oversight function in reviewing rebuilding efforts on the Gulf Coast: * How much will it cost to rebuild the Gulf Coast and how much of this cost should the federal government bear? * How effective are current funding delivery mechanisms-such as Public Assistance and CDBG-and should they be modified or supplemented by other mechanisms? * How can the federal government further partner with state and local governments and the nonprofit and private sectors to leverage the public investment in rebuilding? [End of section] (450576): FOOTNOTES [1] In this report, unless otherwise noted, we refer to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma collectively as the Gulf Coast hurricanes. [2] We also testified before your Subcommittee on Disaster Recovery on April 12, 2007, about a number of issues resulting from our preliminary work in the Gulf Coast. For additional information, see Gulf Coast Rebuilding: Preliminary Observations on Progress to Date and Challenges for the Future, GAO-07-574T (Washington D.C.: April 12, 2006). [3] Hurricane Camille--a category 5 hurricane--struck the Gulf Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi in 1969. Hurricane Andrew--a category 5 hurricane--made landfall along the coast of Florida in 1992. [4] See GAO, Disaster Relief: Governmentwide Framework Needed to Collect and Consolidate Information to Report on Billions in Federal Funding for the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes, GAO-06-834 (Washington, D.C.: Sept. 6, 2006). [5] For additional information see, Macroeconomic and Budgetary Effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Statement of Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office, before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives, Oct. 6, 2005, and Mark L. Burton and Michael J. Hicks, Hurricane Katrina: Preliminary Estimates of Commercial and Public Sector Damages (Huntington, W.Va.: Marshall University, September 2005). [6] According to CBO, capital losses include housing, consumer durable goods, and energy, other private-sector and government losses. For more information see, Macroeconomic and Budgetary Effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Statement of Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office, before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives, Oct. 6, 2005. [7] This estimate includes damages only to commercial structures and equipment, residential structures and contents, electrical utilities, highways, sewer systems, and commercial revenue losses. For more information see, Mark L. Burton and Michael J. Hicks, Hurricane Katrina: Preliminary Estimates of Commercial and Public Sector Damages (Huntington, W.Va.: Marshall University, September 2005). [8] The Stafford Act, as amended, establishes the primary programs and processes for the federal government to provide major disaster and emergency assistance to states, local governments, tribal nations, individuals, and qualified private nonprofit organizations. 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207. [9] Pub. L. No. 109-148, 119 Stat. 2680, 2779-80 (Dec. 30, 2005); Pub. L. No. 109-234, 120 Stat. 418, 472-73 (June 15, 2006). [10] A portion of these allocations also was directed to other housing programs such as rental housing and public housing, as well as to projects intended to alleviate expenses associated with housing, such as utility and insurance costs. [11] Although not discussed in this report, the Road Home program also provides assistance for rental property owners and renters to address housing needs of low-to moderate-income individuals in the most heavily damaged areas. The objectives of the rental assistance component of the program include providing capital to owners of small rental properties to repair and reconstruct damaged units, providing affordable rents for working families, and supporting redevelopment in impacted communities. [12] The commission's work culminated in 238 recommendations that were included in a final report entitled After Katrina: Building Back Better Than Ever (Dec. 31, 2005). [13] Besides these four main supplemental appropriations acts, a number of authorizations and programs provided the remaining assistance. Congress increased the borrowing authority of the National Flood Insurance Program to cover the large number of hurricane-related claims and passed the Gulf Opportunity Zone Act to provide tax relief benefits and incentives to affected entities. [14] For additional information see, Macroeconomic and Budgetary Effects of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Statement of Douglas Holtz- Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office, before the Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives, Oct. 6, 20059: [15] For additional information see. Mark L. Burton and Michael J. Hicks, Hurricane Katrina: Preliminary Estimates of Commercial and Public Sector Damages (Huntington, .Va.: Marshall University, September 2005). [16] The Stafford Act, as amended, establishes the primary programs and processes for the federal government to provide major disaster and emergency assistance to states, local governments, tribal nations, individuals, and qualified private nonprofit organizations. 42 U.S.C. §§ 5121-5207. [17] In both states, a substantial portion of this assistance was obligated to emergency and response items, such as debris removal. [18] Pub. L. No. 109-148, 119 Stat. 2680, 2779-80 (Dec. 30, 2005); Pub. L. No. 109-234, 120 Stat. 418, 472-73 (June 15, 2006). [19] Texas received over $503 million, Florida received about $183 million, and Alabama received nearly $96 million. [20] The LRA was created at the direction of Governor Blanco by executive order in October of 2005 and subsequently authorized by the state legislature in early 2006. [21] The 4,130 applicants include: homeowners who have been determined ineligible for the Phase I program and (2) homeowners who have been determined eligible e for the Phase I program and have received assistance, but still have an uncompensated loss. These applicants can be considered for additional assistance under the Phase II program, although the total amount of assistance between the two programs is limited to $150,000. [22] Entitled After Katrina: Building Back Better Than Ever (December 31, 2005). This report included recommendations to the Governor's Office and a range of federal, sate, and local stakeholders involved in the state's rebuilding efforts. [23] "Establishment of a Coordinator of Federal Support for the Recovery and Rebuilding of the Gulf Coast Region," Exec. Order No. 13,390, 70 Fed. Reg. 67,327 (Nov. 1, 2005). [24] "Creation of the Gulf Coast Recovery and Rebuilding Council," Exec. Order 13,389, 70 Fed. Reg. 67,325 (Nov. 1, 2005). 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