The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development’s (HUD) Sandy Program Management Office (PMO) has issued its first report tracking progress on the Sandy Rebuilding Strategy. The report is now available online. “Following the storm, the Obama Administration committed to helping the Sandy region recover and rebuild in a way that prepares it for future storms. While this report shows we are following through on this commitment, we also recognize that many families and business are still on the road to recovery and delays in connecting them to the services and support they need are often too long,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Although more work needs to be done, HUD and the federal government will continue coordinating with local officials until the region has recovered and we meet all the goals of the Sandy Rebuilding Strategy.”
The Rebuilding Strategy, released by the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force in August 2013, includes a long-term plan that guides Sandy Supplemental spending, drives regional coordination, and makes communities more resilient to future disasters. This report tracks progress on seven goals that are important to the long-term rebuilding of the region in the most economically efficient, ecologically robust and innovative ways possible.
These goals are:
►Promoting Resilient Rebuilding through Innovative Ideas and a Thorough Understanding of Current and Future Risk
►Ensuring a Regionally Coordinated, Resilient Approach to Infrastructure Investment
►Restoring and Strengthening Homes and Providing Families with Safe, Affordable Housing Options
►Supporting Small Businesses and Revitalizing Local Economies
►Addressing Insurance Challenges, Understanding, and Affordability
►Building State and Local Capacity to Plan for and Implement Long-Term Recovery and Rebuilding
►Improving Data Sharing Between Federal, State, and Local Officials
In total, the Rebuilding Strategy identified 69 specific recommendations across these broad goals as well as specific agencies to lead the implementation of each of them. Since the publication of the Rebuilding Strategy, the Obama Administration has continued working across departments to move the recommendations forward and deliver on their commitments to the region.
