Disaster Assistance: Guidance Needed for FEMA's 'Fast Track' Housing Assistance Process
Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined several issues pertaining to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) use of the Fast Track process and FEMA's crisis-counseling assistance to victims of the Northridge earthquake, focusing on: (1) the authority and rationale for the Fast Track process; (2) FEMA's experience with the Fast Track process in Northridge and whether the process was influenced by the Office of Inspector General's recommendations; (3) the advantages and disadvantages of the Fast Track process, including the amounts of payments that FEMA designated for recovery and subsequently recovered and the reasons for ineligibility; and (4) FEMA's criteria and process for providing crisis-counseling funds and ensuring their use for authorized purposes.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Federal Emergency Management Agency | The Director, FEMA, should develop written guidance for the Fast Track process that specifies when and under what circumstances the process will be used. |
FEMA has developed written guidance that addresses general guidelines for when the expedited delivery process for disaster housing assistance (also known as fast track) will be utilized (Response and Recovery Directorate Policy Number 4430 A/C). However, the guidance lacks specific information on exactly when and under what circumstances the process would be used. GAO is closing this recommendation because FEMA plans no further action.
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| Federal Emergency Management Agency | The Director, FEMA, should develop written guidance for the Fast Track process that explains how to implement the process, including identifying eligible victims and avoiding payments in excess of needs. |
FEMA has written guidance for the expedited delivery process for disaster housing assistance (fast track) which discusses how to determine the eligibility of applicants and criteria for avoiding excess payments to approved applicants (Response and Recovery Directorate Policy Number 4430 A/C).
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