FEMA fast-tracks Indiana flood recovery
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FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton talks about a plan to streamline the recovery process after historic flooding in Indiana while Indiana Gov. Mike Braun listens. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
FEMA is testing an advance payment system to speed up disaster recovery in Indiana's flood-ravaged communities.
Why it matters: With Indiana already facing as much as $5 billion in flood damage statewide, delays can make rebuilding more expensive while leaving damaged roads, bridges and other critical infrastructure in limbo.
Driving the news: FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton announced Monday that Indiana will participate in a pilot program designed to get eligible public infrastructure money for certain projects flowing faster by providing up-front payments based on damage estimates instead of waiting for final costs.
- "You move off the reimbursement model into the advance payment model," Hamilton said of the plan, stating the pilot is a FEMA-facing effort that doesn't change the application process for those seeking assistance.
- "Recovery is never easy," he said. "It's never a short process when you're dealing with this kind of devastation. Our goal is to ensure that we are not the limiting factor in that framework."
Threat level: FEMA's normal bureaucracy can add time, and recovery costs rise an estimated 10% to 15% every year a disaster drags on, Hamilton said.
- "That's not serving your constituents," he said. "That's also not being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. So we want to speed that entire process up and ensure that communities recover fast."
Zoom in: FEMA will evaluate projects individually, and not everything will qualify for the expedited process.
- Hamilton said buildings and other infrastructure where the damage is easy to quantify could move faster, while roads and bridges may require more extensive analysis because flooding can destabilize soil and foundations in ways that aren't immediately visible.
Between the lines: The money still flows through Indiana.
- The state is FEMA's grantee for public assistance, and the pilot is primarily designed to speed the first step of getting eligible federal funds to Indiana before the state distributes money to local governments.
What they're saying: Gov. Mike Braun praised Indiana's ability to move quickly post-disaster.
- "If local governments, along with our state government, hadn't compiled the information, that would have been the first constraint on getting FEMA here. So kudos to everybody involved," he said. "This is moving at the speed of light. So it's unusual. It's refreshing."
Yes, but: The recovery is far from over, and Carmel Mayor Sue Finkam says the drastically reshaped landscape at 106th and Hazell Dell stands as a reminder of the work that remains.
- "Carmel will come back better than ever, but we do need the help that your visit ushers in," Finkam told federal partners Monday. "Over the past two weeks, I've been reminded that the real measure of a community is those that step forward and help each other. We've seen that … and we're going to see more of that. But this is a long road to recover for our residents."