In his opening remarks at Wednesday’s hearing of the House Committee on Homeland Security, FEMA Housing: An Examination of Current Problems and Innovative Solutions, Committee Chairman, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson (D-MS), called FEMA’s National Disaster Housing Strategy (Strategy), “a plan to make a plan.” While this idea had been expressed many times in the past, it continues to have particular relevance in the post-disaster housing context.

(Click here for Disaster Accountability Project FEMA Housing testimony, 7/8/09)

Promulgated by the Bush administration on January 16, 2009 during its final days in office, the Strategy and its accompanying Annexes, provide a comprehensive catalog of currently available disaster housing programs as well as lessons learned, goals to aspire to, and capabilities that must be developed by all levels of government, the private sector, and individual households. Where the Strategy falls short is in assigning accountability and creating a timeline on which progress can be measured.

The Strategy relies heavily on the creation of a National Disaster Housing Joint Task Force to “provide a full-time focus, [and] elevate the significance of disaster housing preparedness.” This Task Force is ultimately responsible for implementation of the Strategy.

In his written testimony (available for download from the hearing website) prepared for Wednesday’s hearing, FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate wrote that: “In April and May 2009, FEMA convened organizational meetings of the National Disaster Housing Task Force.” It is, however, unclear whether the Task Force itself actually exists. Prior to the above quoted statements, Fugate’s written testimony states that the Task Force “will be staffed by national-level representatives from several Federal agencies” indicating that the Task Force has not yet been staffed.

What is clear, however, is that at the April and May meetings, a “first draft” of an implementation plan, among other documents, were created and that these documents are currently being reviewed by FEMA’s partner agencies. The Implementation Plan is the document that ultimately puts teeth into the Strategy. In describing the roles, responsibilities, and goals of the Task Force (available here), FEMA lists as the very first short-term task “Develop an Implementation Plan” to achieve the goals of the strategy:

The Implementation Plan should use the Strategy’s vision and strategic goals as a starting point, translating them into measurable objectives, actions, and milestones. The plan must prioritize those actions and establish a realistic timeline. The Joint Task Force should also identify which organizations are best positioned to lead each action, as well as which organizations will play key supporting roles.

For the Strategy to be more than just a plan, the Implementation Plan must be promulgated and carried out, and the Task Force must exist beyond a charter and organizational chart.

Julia Pergola is a legal intern with the Disaster Accountability Project.  She is a student at Georgetown Law.