This is what California can learn from Texas in the field of reconstruction after a natural disaster

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Can California learn from other states about home restoration after a natural disaster?

This is the idea behind of the bill 239 at the meeting Juan HairA rookie Democrat from Pasadena, whose area was at the center of Ethan’s 14,000 -acre fire. The bill inspired by a hurricane response plan in Texas aims to accelerate Housing By coordinating federal, state and local responses through a working group aimed by the state to deal with the fires of the Palisadi and Ethan.

“I think government agencies generally do not do good communication work between them,” Harabedian told Calmatters. “There is not much coordination in this form because natural disasters, fortunately, do not happen as often.”

The concept of a state -led working group is descended from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after Hurricane Catherine seriously damaged New Orleans and the Gulf Coast in 2005 and made little progress in the reconstruction of the housing even six years later late, The agency said in a Memorandum since 2011.S

Texas resumed this recommendation in 2019, two years after Hurricane Harvey, which caused more than $ 125 billion in damage and “emphasized criticism in the capacity of Texas to ensure the restoration of timely and effective dwelling for displaced residents,” according to the Harabedian office.

Harabedian’s bill is similar to the Law of Texas: he would set up a working group with representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Governor’s Emergency Service, the State Housing Department and the local authorities. The working group will accelerate the reaction of housing in fires in Los Angeles County, which have damaged or destroyed approximately 18,000 homes and other structures.

This group would indicate a state -owned dwelling coordinator for disasters, which would control the distribution of money, coordinate efforts between different levels of governance and be obliged to inform the legislature of the progress of home restoration in the affected areas in the affected areas affected S If approved and becomes a law, it will immediately enter into force.

“I think it is difficult for any jurisdiction to coordinate all these formations outside the state, since our local leaders are hyper -concentrated and do enormous work to meet the immediate needs of their communities,” the Asama said Isaac BrianDemocrat from Culver City, cooperation of the bill. “I think the state and the federal government are more responsible to view both regional and after.”

The Harabedi office said the date of completion of the working group was still being discussed.

In Texas, disaster recovery has been involved in controversy, including Charges from the unit for the United States Housing and Urban Development that the Texas General Office of Texas poorly administers the means of mitigating floods after hurricane Harvey. However, the law has had an impact on improving coordination between different levels of management when dealing with housing restoration after a natural disaster, said Michel Annette Mayer, Director of the Center for Risk and Recovery from Texas University A&M, which who who who, which who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who who, who who, who who, who who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who, who who is helped To write the accountS However, the greater part of the impact arose by promoting preliminary planning to a disaster, a provision that is not in the bill in California.

The bill is expected to be considered at a committee hearing in mid -February, but at least one group has supported it from the beginning: the San Gabriel Valley Economic Association, which is advocating for the region’s economy policies.

Louis Portilo, president of the group, said he liked what he sees in the bill so far because it includes measures for responsibility for the reconstruction of housing, especially for the black community in Altadena, where the residential property is owned 81%compared to 36% on the state levelS

“People can’t wait five or eight years to restore their home,” he said. “In the end, they will just give up and say,” I will use the money I received from the house insurance that I would buy elsewhere. ”

The Los Angeles County’s supervisors did not respond to requests for an interview on how the state leading from the state would work with existing efforts, but a spokesman for leader Lindsay Horwat said there was a housing group specifically for the restoration of forest fires directed by forest fires Los Angeles County Development Authority.

Your website It contains links to an application for federal assistance, as well as resources at the Tax County level, support for children and companies.

Harabedian, who was previously mayor of Sierra Madre, said his proposal did not intend to compete with any local working group, but to supplement the efforts.

“In fact, what we need is a field Marshall,” said Harabedian, who devoted himself to disaster management a few weeks after he began his term as a meeting. “I think the opportunity to define a state coordinator to coordinate with FEMA and these local agencies and working groups is really key.”

This article was originally published by CalmattersS