By Webster, Elizabeth M.

From the document: "After the President issues an emergency or major disaster declaration under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (Stafford Act), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may provide three primary forms of disaster assistance: Individual Assistance (IA), Public Assistance (PA), and Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA). IA provides aid to affected individuals and households, and can take the form of assistance for housing and/or other needs through the Individuals and Households Program (IHP). [...] The IHP is the focus of this report. It is the only form of IA, and the only FEMA assistance authorized pursuant to an emergency or major disaster declaration, that provides grants of financial assistance directly to individuals and households to support their disaster recovery by helping address housing and other needs (FEMA may also provide direct assistance for housing under the IHP). This report begins with an overview of the IHP, including the categories and types of IHP assistance that may be made available, selected considerations or limitations associated with each type of assistance, and selected legislative and program updates. This report then outlines the process for requesting and authorizing IA, including the factors that FEMA considers when evaluating a governor or chief executive's request for a major disaster declaration authorizing IA [...]. [...] This report concludes by describing some of the IHP's general program limitations, as well as selected challenges and considerations that may be of interest to Congress, including related to increasing transparency in IA declaration decisions, expanding access to IHP spending data, and ensuring IHP assistance can meet the needs of future disaster survivors."

Library Of Congress. Congressional Research Service. 2023. 73p.