Res. No. 1893
Resolution calling upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R.1669, the Public Housing Disaster Preparedness Act of 2013.
By Council Members Chin, Mendez, Arroyo, Barron, Brewer, Comrie, Eugene, Gonzalez, Jackson, James, Koslowitz, Palma, Richards, Rose and Rodriguez
Whereas, The New York City Housing Authority ("NYCHA") is a public housing authority with 334 developments, 2,596 buildings, and 178,914 public housing units, making it the largest public housing provider in North America; and
Whereas, Following Superstorm Sandy in 2012, over 400 NYCHA buildings, housing roughly 80,000 residents were affected significantly; and
Whereas, As a result of the storm, residents lost heat, hot water and electricity for prolonged periods of time and some experienced severe flooding causing property destruction and the loss of their homes; and
Whereas, The loss of essential services left residents, including seniors, mobility impaired residents and residents on life support, stranded in their homes without access to food and water and, in some cases, necessary medicines; and
Whereas, In order to reduce the impact of future disasters on vulnerable residents, NYCHA should assess its disaster preparedness; and
Whereas, According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, strategic and operational planning for emergencies establishes priorities, identifies expected levels of performance and capability requirements, provides the standard for assessing capabilities and helps stakeholders learn their roles; and
Whereas, NYCHA develops and maintains numerous procedures that govern specific kinds of emergencies; and
Whereas, Such procedures should be updated with regularity and NYCHA should inform residents at various points in time including at move-in, annually and prior to a disaster of preparation and evacuation protocols to ensure their safety and preparedness; and
Whereas, H.R.1669, the Public Housing Disaster Preparedness Act of 2013 ("the Act")," requires that every public housing agency (PHA) develop a disaster response and relief plan; and
Whereas, The plan must be included in the annual and five-year PHA plans required by the United States Housing Act of 1937 and must be submitted to HUD for approval before its implementation; and
Whereas, Among other things, the plan should include protocols for: establishing communication and support, immediate disaster response and the safe evacuation of residents and staff; and
Whereas, Further, the act would require that after a disaster impacting a PHA, the Inspector General of HUD must evaluate the agency's implementation of its disaster response and relief plan and if necessary provide recommendations for improving such plan; now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York calls upon the United States Congress to pass and the President to sign H.R.1669, the Public Housing Disaster Preparedness Act of 2013.
LS# 4753
GP
07/08/2013