In Service: Ideas to Help Gov't Agencies Affect Positive Change

On October 5, 2018, the President signed the Disaster Recovery Reform Act[i] into law, ushering in the most significant changes to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act in a generation. Over the last few weeks, I have responded to several calls from subrecipients seeking clarity related to their administrative costs, primarily because for all major disasters and emergencies declared between August 1, 2017 and October 5, 2018, they now have multiple options in choosing how FEMA treats those costs. The short answer is—when given options, one size doesn’t fit all. 

The first time I read “Davis-Bacon Labor Standards: A Contractor’s Guide to Prevailing Wage Requirements for Federally-Assisted Construction Projects,” the document review process seemed simple and straightforward. However, after years of reviewing, digging down into the details and reading articles about Davis-Bacon and its origin, it’s not quite as straightforward as one might think.

With tropical storms and hurricanes dominating the news—and many of our day-to-day lives—it’s important to think about flood insurance. Hurricane Harvey dumped over 50 inches of rain onto Texas in a short span of time. Hurricane Irma brought rain and storm surge levels that put much of the lower part of the state underwater. You don’t have to look far to see why flood insurance is so vital.

CDBG-DR funds serve as a lifeline to survivors of catastrophic events. These programs have measurably improved the quality of life for so many impacted citizens, particularly our most vulnerable residents. Following the wake of the hurricanes that have hit both Texas and Florida, CDBG-DR programs are more crucial than ever, working with disaster relief and aiding people in need of housing, infrastructure, and economic development.

When I sit back and reflect on my family ancestry and those that have influenced my leadership style, it becomes clear to me that it’s often the women in my family lineage who have contributed to the beliefs and values of who I have become.

I sit and watch the devastation that Texas is facing and am flooded with emotion. Twelve years ago, I was one of those people I see on television. It’s just so hard to watch. I know what is coming. I know what they will face in terms of trying to pick up the pieces.

With a resilient job market, great Mexican food, and small-town feel, the Texas Gulf Coast is a great place to call home. According to the Texas Relocation Report, “Texas experienced a net gain of 107,689 out-of-state residents in 2015, a 4 percent increase from 2014.” As a good neighbor should, I welcome you to Friday night lights, longhorns and warm Texas weather. As we native Texans know, with triple digit summer days come hurricanes.

When a grantee passes federal funding to a subrecipient who follows through with a project or program, a true partnership is created. Both the grantee and the subrecipient are responsible for proper performance and compliance with the grant activities.

In the disaster recovery world, costs incurred as a result of implementing and executing allowable CDBG activities are known “Activity Delivery Costs.” These costs are directly attributable to a CDBG project or activity.  These costs are not governed by 24 CFR 570.205-.206 and, therefore, aren’t subject to the 20% cap. According to CPD Notice 13-07, Activity Delivery Costs are treated as part of the total cost for delivering a Final Cost Objective under a CDBG program.

I often find myself deep in thought, contemplating “what-if” scenarios. What if I won the lottery? What if my parents never emigrated from Mexico? What if I became a teacher and not an accountant? These hypothetical scenarios allow me to think outside the box and not limit my options or ideas to my current circumstances.

On a recent Saturday morning, I stood with my niece at the crossroads of a busy intersection to help her sell highly-sought after Girl Scout cookies. It would have been easier to just buy the amount of cookies she needed to sell and call it quits. However, I found myself intrigued by her enthusiasm and eagerness to do her part.

Looking back at “my story,” I realize that I began taking the road less traveled early in life. I found great happiness doing things that were not traditional for a growing Mexican woman, from the electives I took in high school to the career path I would eventually choose. 

After a natural disaster strikes, the process of disaster recovery is overwhelming. With so many moving parts and different groups of people involved in building a successful program, recovery can be more than daunting. Case managers, construction workers, project managers, program administrators, government agencies and the damaged homeowners themselves all must effectively coordinate, communicate, and work together to reach the ultimate goal of community rehabilitation.