Disaster Assistance:
Federal, State, and Local Responses to Natural Disasters Need Improvement
T-RCED-91-39: Published: May 15, 1991. Publicly Released: May 15, 1991.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
Contact:
GAO discussed a report concerning the federal, state, and local responses to such disasters as the September 1989 Hurricane Hugo and the October 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. GAO found that: (1) there were weaknesses in both state and local preparedness programs and in the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) assistance and overall guidance; (2) inefficiencies in the response phase resulted from staffing and coordination difficulties between agencies at all levels; (3) during the recovery phase, state and federal agencies did not coordinate their efforts and made delayed and duplicate payments; (4) because state and local governments independently determined preparedness program resources and emphasis, their emergency response and recovery capabilities differed; (5) FEMA and other federal and state agencies did not manage their assistance programs as efficiently as possible; (6) inefficient operations and uncertainty over roles and responsibilities resulted in incomplete responses to the needs of disaster victims; and (7) current federal disaster assistance programs do not provide adequate assistance to state and local governments to reconstruct damaged rental units for low-income disaster victims.
Nov 17, 2020
Puerto Rico Electricity:
FEMA and HUD Have Not Approved Long-Term Projects and Need to Implement Recommendations to Address Uncertainties and Enhance ResilienceGAO-21-54: Published: Nov 17, 2020. Publicly Released: Nov 17, 2020.
Jul 16, 2020
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Targeting Federal Funds:
Information on Funding to Areas with Persistent or High PovertyGAO-20-518: Published: Jul 16, 2020. Publicly Released: Jul 16, 2020.
Jun 25, 2020
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National Flood Insurance Program:
Fiscal Exposure Persists Despite Property AcquisitionsGAO-20-508: Published: Jun 25, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 25, 2020.
Jun 11, 2020
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American Samoa:
Economic Trends, Status of the Tuna Canning Industry, and Stakeholders' Views on Minimum Wage IncreasesGAO-20-467: Published: Jun 11, 2020. Publicly Released: Jun 11, 2020.
Apr 28, 2020
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Priority Open Recommendations:
Small Business AdministrationGAO-20-501PR: Published: Apr 21, 2020. Publicly Released: Apr 28, 2020.
Mar 9, 2020
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La Agencia Federal para el Desarrollo de la Pequeña Empresa:
el Procesamiento de Préstamos para Desastres Fue Más Puntual, Pero Mejoramientos en la Planificación y la Evaluación del Programa Piloto son NecesariosGAO-20-369: Published: Feb 7, 2020. Publicly Released: Mar 9, 2020. -
Small Business Administration:
Disaster Loan Processing Was Timelier, but Planning Improvements and Pilot Program Evaluation NeededGAO-20-168: Published: Feb 7, 2020. Publicly Released: Mar 9, 2020.
Jan 28, 2020
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Innovative Technologies in Manufacturing:
Commerce Has Stopped Efforts to Implement Loan Guarantee ProgramGAO-20-326R: Published: Jan 28, 2020. Publicly Released: Jan 28, 2020.
Oct 8, 2019
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Puerto Rico Electricity Grid Recovery:
Better Information and Enhanced Coordination Is Needed to Address ChallengesGAO-20-141: Published: Oct 8, 2019. Publicly Released: Oct 8, 2019. -
Recuperación De La Red Eléctrica En Puerto Rico:
Se Necesita Mejor Información y Coordinación para Enfrentar DesafíosGAO-20-143: Published: Oct 8, 2019. Publicly Released: Oct 8, 2019.
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