Communities can use FEMA's Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to pay for storm shelters, among other uses.
When tornadoes, hurricanes and other major storms rip through communities, the residents are often left dealing with the losses of basic necessities, such as housing. If the U.S. president declares a disaster area, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) uses funding through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to help with cleanup. One way communities can use the grants is by setting up storm shelters to house people left homeless by the disaster.
Criteria
State, local and tribal governments and nonprofit groups can apply for Hazard Mitigation grants. Individual home and business owners can't apply, but eligible groups can on their behalf. Eligible projects are those that would reduce or eliminate risks to public safety and health in disasters. FEMA uses the example of using money to raise houses to avoid flood damage. Other projects can include retrofitting structures to avoid wind, earthquake, flood or fire damage, and constructing flood walls and developing systems to help with building codes during post-disaster reconstruction, among other projects.
Funding
FEMA will cover up to 75 percent of a Hazard Mitigation project's costs, with at least a 25 percent match from the state or grant recipient. However, the program will issue no more than 15 percent of the total grants FEMA issues for each declared disaster. States in certain disaster situations, which are set by the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000, may be eligible for more funding. The money used for the match cannot come from other federal sources, with one exception: States and recipients can match a Hazard Mitigation grant using a Community Development Block Grant, which the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development issues.
Application Process
When the president declares a disaster, states can then solicit Hazard Mitigation grants. Anyone wanting funding for a storm shelter or any other disaster-related projects needs to contact their local government officials. Local government agencies contact their state's Hazard Mitigation officers. The state officials then contact their region's FEMA offices, which review the grant application. The amount of time the federal agency takes depends on how complex the project is, according to FEMA.
Safe Room Initiative
One major storm shelter program FEMA promotes is not one of its own; it is through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Residential Safe Room Initiative allows communities to use Community Development Block Grants, which HUD issues, to install storm shelters in manufactured home parks. To be eligible for the funding neighborhoods must have at least 20 housing units, must have mostly low- and moderate-income residents and be in a state that had a tornado within the last three years. Along with meeting storm- and tornado-safe guidelines, shelters must fit all residents of the park or neighborhood, and the neighborhood needs to have a tornado siren.
Tags: Hazard Mitigation, contact their, storm shelters, among other, Community Development, Community Development Block