Hurricane Sandy Task Force Calls For Shoring Up Construction

A special task force formed after Hurricane Sandy is urging more resilient and innovative housing construction, a more flexible electrical grid, reliable cell-phone and Internet service in disasters, and a dependable fuel supply chain. 

The 200-page report was released Monday and can be downloaded from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development website. 

The Task Force was formed in December by President Barack Obama and headed by HUD Chairman Shaun Donovan and is meant to offer guidelines for the spending of billions of federal funds in response to the Oct. 29, 2012 storm, and help prepare for increasingly dangerous storms ahead. 

The report suggests that quick emergency repairs be permitted to allow disaster victims to remain in their homes, that nationally-consistent mortgage policies by created to prevent responsible homeowners from being forced out of their homes, and mold-remediation education be improved at the state and local level.

Local communities should have access to best data and information on current and future risks, such as a Sea-Level Rise planning tool. 

Businesses should also be supported by making it easier for them to access federal contracts for Hurricane Sandy rebuilding, developing a one-stop online shop for everything related to small business recovery, and extending SBA loan services and loan limits. 

The task force also calls for federal funding for Local Disaster Recovery Manager positions in Sandy-impacted communities.