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| Distribution of Billions in Aid to Storm Victims Will Test FEMA | Distribution of Billions in Aid to Storm Victims Will Test FEMA |
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| WASHINGTON — With state and local governments handling the bulk of the immediate response to Hurricane Sandy, federal officials here were left with one critical role: bankrolling the effort. | WASHINGTON — With state and local governments handling the bulk of the immediate response to Hurricane Sandy, federal officials here were left with one critical role: bankrolling the effort. |
| By Tuesday morning President Obama had declared parts of New York and New Jersey major disaster areas, which opens the door for billions of dollars in aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, both to state and local governments and to individual families hit by the storm. | |
| The distribution of this aid will serve as a major test for FEMA, which has a troubled history of overseeing this program, particularly the assistance to individual families and households. Such aid has been subject to chronic fraud and abuse. | The distribution of this aid will serve as a major test for FEMA, which has a troubled history of overseeing this program, particularly the assistance to individual families and households. Such aid has been subject to chronic fraud and abuse. |
| A report issued last year by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security estimated that at least $643 million had been wrongly distributed to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 — given to 160,000 households — but still had not been recouped by the agency, even though it was aware of the apparent payment mistakes or fraud. | A report issued last year by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security estimated that at least $643 million had been wrongly distributed to victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 — given to 160,000 households — but still had not been recouped by the agency, even though it was aware of the apparent payment mistakes or fraud. |
| The investigators found that FEMA was often too focused on simply giving out money and not on thoroughly checking to make sure the applicants had actually suffered as a result of the storm. As a result, checks have gone to owners of vacant lots, and rental assistance has been sent to families living in FEMA trailers. | The investigators found that FEMA was often too focused on simply giving out money and not on thoroughly checking to make sure the applicants had actually suffered as a result of the storm. As a result, checks have gone to owners of vacant lots, and rental assistance has been sent to families living in FEMA trailers. |
| “The FEMA attitude is to simply pay the people,” the report said, quoting one of FEMA’s employees. “FEMA begs people to call and apply, even if they are not sure they are eligible.” | “The FEMA attitude is to simply pay the people,” the report said, quoting one of FEMA’s employees. “FEMA begs people to call and apply, even if they are not sure they are eligible.” |
| W. Craig Fugate, the FEMA director, said Tuesday in a news conference that FEMA would be focused on trying to prevent fraud, sending out housing inspectors to check applications to ensure that reported damage actually occurred. | |
| “We are trying to work on that as well without preventing our ability to help people,” Mr. Fugate said, adding that internal reviews showed that improper payments represented less than 1 percent of the money paid to individuals and households. | “We are trying to work on that as well without preventing our ability to help people,” Mr. Fugate said, adding that internal reviews showed that improper payments represented less than 1 percent of the money paid to individuals and households. |
| In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the emphasis has again been on a quick response, with Mr. Fugate boasting on Tuesday about how quickly Mr. Obama had approved the major disaster declaration for New York and New Jersey — even without formal written requests from the states, as is normally required. | In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the emphasis has again been on a quick response, with Mr. Fugate boasting on Tuesday about how quickly Mr. Obama had approved the major disaster declaration for New York and New Jersey — even without formal written requests from the states, as is normally required. |
| That immediate response — which so far has authorized aid to residents of Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Richmond, Suffolk and Queens Counties in New York and Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union Counties in New Jersey — has won Mr. Obama and FEMA praise, even from prominent Republicans. | That immediate response — which so far has authorized aid to residents of Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Richmond, Suffolk and Queens Counties in New York and Atlantic, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union Counties in New Jersey — has won Mr. Obama and FEMA praise, even from prominent Republicans. |
| “At 2 a.m., I got a call from FEMA to answer a couple of final questions, and then he signed the declaration this morning,” Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey said Tuesday in an interview on Fox News. “So I have to give the president great credit.” | |
| Mr. Fugate said that FEMA had about $3.6 billion in its disaster relief fund, but that he was prepared to request additional money from Congress if needed. Residents and business owners hit by the storm can begin applying by registering at disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362. FEMA will help with temporary housing and for certain damage that is not covered by homeowner’s insurance. | Mr. Fugate said that FEMA had about $3.6 billion in its disaster relief fund, but that he was prepared to request additional money from Congress if needed. Residents and business owners hit by the storm can begin applying by registering at disasterassistance.gov or by calling (800) 621-3362. FEMA will help with temporary housing and for certain damage that is not covered by homeowner’s insurance. |
| Among the assistance offered, FEMA will provide, to those left homeless by the storm, rental payments for up to three months for homeowners and for at least one month for renters, with extensions possible in certain circumstances. | Among the assistance offered, FEMA will provide, to those left homeless by the storm, rental payments for up to three months for homeowners and for at least one month for renters, with extensions possible in certain circumstances. |
| Other states hit by Hurricane Sandy will almost certainly be added to the major disaster designation in the coming days, making residents there also eligible for emergency assistance. | Other states hit by Hurricane Sandy will almost certainly be added to the major disaster designation in the coming days, making residents there also eligible for emergency assistance. |
| Outside of its financial help, FEMA has received relatively few requests to assist with the immediate rescue efforts, officials said. It has provided emergency generators and distributed ready-to-eat meals and blankets. | Outside of its financial help, FEMA has received relatively few requests to assist with the immediate rescue efforts, officials said. It has provided emergency generators and distributed ready-to-eat meals and blankets. |
| The Army Corps of Engineers has also been asked to deploy its team of experts to New York, made up of two hydrologists and two mechanical engineers, who are specialists at draining flooded areas. They are being deployed outside New Orleans for the first time since the unit was created after Hurricane Katrina. FEMA will also be taking aerial images of the disaster zones to do an initial assessment of areas where homeowners with federal flood insurance are entitled to payouts. | The Army Corps of Engineers has also been asked to deploy its team of experts to New York, made up of two hydrologists and two mechanical engineers, who are specialists at draining flooded areas. They are being deployed outside New Orleans for the first time since the unit was created after Hurricane Katrina. FEMA will also be taking aerial images of the disaster zones to do an initial assessment of areas where homeowners with federal flood insurance are entitled to payouts. |
| The Department of Transportation announced late Tuesday that it was sending $13 million in “quick release emergency relief” for New York and Rhode Island, the first states to ask for the money, which will be used to repair roads, bridges and tunnels damaged by the storm. Much more will be given out in the weeks to come. | |
| Other federal agencies have helped out as well, providing some of the ambulances used to evacuate NYU Langone Medical Center in Manhattan after its backup power system failed on Monday night. And as of Tuesday the National Guard had about 7,400 forces on active duty to support governors in 11 states hit by the storm. | |
| But for the most part, Mr. Fugate said, the states have not turned to FEMA as urgently as officials in Louisiana and Mississippi did after Hurricane Katrina. | But for the most part, Mr. Fugate said, the states have not turned to FEMA as urgently as officials in Louisiana and Mississippi did after Hurricane Katrina. |
| “We are working with governors of all the impacted states to determine what additional assistance they need,” Mr. Fugate said. | “We are working with governors of all the impacted states to determine what additional assistance they need,” Mr. Fugate said. |