Disaster Displacement and Post-Disaster Housing
Securing post-disaster housing for vulnerable individuals and families after a natural disaster is one of the greatest challenges for emergency managers and caseworkers. Some of these persons may be experiencing homelessness or receiving housing assistance before the disaster. Others are displaced due to damage or destruction to their home due to the disaster. Stable housing is critical to a disaster survivor’s recovery.
Sometimes, individuals may be displaced from their residence or community following a disaster. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre , “disaster displacement” refers to the involuntary movement of residents from their homes and communities because of a natural disaster for a temporary, short- or long-term period. There are approximately 1 million new disaster displacements in the United States every year. After being displaced by a disaster, people often have critical human services needs in areas such as housing, income support, transportation, employment, and education.
To collect, frame, and understand the existing body of knowledge on this topic, OHSEPR, in collaboration with the ACF Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE), published a report summarizing existing literature and available resources on disaster displacement.
Additional resources on this topic are listed below.
Dear Colleague Letter — ACF Post-Disaster Housing Assistance
ACF published a Dear Colleague Letter — ACF Post-Disaster Housing Assistance which provides information on post-disaster housing assistance for disaster survivors that may be available through four ACF programs. These programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG). Funding from these programs may be used for temporary housing such as motels or hotels, minor home repairs, cooling centers during the day, or short-term rental or mortgage assistance.
Fact Sheet — Post-Disaster Assistance Housing Resources
ACF Post-Disaster Housing Resources is intended for emergency managers and service providers seeking resources to help individuals, families, and communities with post-disaster housing. ACF administers the four programs mentioned previously that provide funding that may be used for post-disaster housing support. This support is subject to specific program requirements, depends upon the particular circumstances of the situation, and varies by grant recipient. Review this document for further information.
ACF Post-Disaster Housing Assistance
ACF held a webinar on ACF Post-Disaster Housing Assistance. Staff from OHSEPR, TANF, LIHEAP, CSBG, and SSBG discuss how program funding can be used to assist disaster survivors with post-disaster housing.
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