New York Times article on FEMA performance review

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

^MA Criticized for Its Handling of 9/11 Claims By DAVID W. CHEN officials challenging some of the re­ those factors contributed to “difficul­ An internal review of the Federal port’s preliminary findings. ties in delivering timely and effec­ : Emergency Management Agency’s “While we acknowledge that there tive assistance.” performance after the Sept. 11 terror is always room for improvement,” While FEMA did overhaul the pro­ attack has concluded that the agency wrote Joe M. AUbaugh, the agency’s gram in late June to make it easier should have been more flexible and director, “we strongly believe for more people to apply, the report fair in helping people with economic FEMA met the significant chal­ said more should be done — perhaps lenges created by the unique re­ through new legislation — to capture losses.. The agency also needs to co­ sponse and recovery circumstances as many potential applicants as pos­ ordinate better with other govem- of such an unprecedented disaster.” sible. Among other suggestions, the ment agencies and charities in fu­ Of all the programs reviewed in report said that the agency should ture disasters, the review concluded. the report, the most critical com­ develop a program that distinguish­ The report, by FEMA’s Office of ments were reserved for the Mort­ es between physical and economic Inspector General, echoed complaints gage and Rental Assistance pro­ loss, has fair and equitable eligibility that have been compounding for gram, which provides cash to people criteria, reaches diverse ethnic pop­ months about an agency that has facing eviction or foreclosure as a ulations more quickly and simplifies struggled to cope with a disaster with­ result of a disaster. documentation requirements for ap­ out precedent in nature, scale or cost. In 68 previous disasters, the report plicants. The 76-page report, which was re­ noted, the program doled, out $18.1 The report offered more muted leased yesterday to members of Con­ million. But in New York, by early criticisms of another controversial gress, did praise the agency for do­ December, $76 million had been program, the Individual and Family ing its best to help as many people as spent. Moreover, the program is still Grant program, which reimbursed possible within its guidelines. Still, in open; the deadline for applying is residents for air-quality equipment fairly blunt language, the inspectors Jan. 31. but was bogged down by rumors, provided a long list of shortcomings That inexperience in applying such confusion and unusual circum­ and recommendations. And, in an a little-used program to a large-scale stances. It also offered mild criti­ indication of just how charged the disaster was exacerbated, the report cisms of FEMA’s difficulty in coordi­ subject of the relief effort still re­ said, by the agency’s inability to un­ nating with federal agencies, such as mains, the report also included some derstand the indirect economic ef­ the Environmental Protection Agen­ comments from federal and state fects of the disaster. And ultimately, cy and the Department of Justice.

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