As flooding, fires, and other disasters become more destructive, an effective response requires more resources than local governments can offer.

In an article for Governing, Donald F. Kettl argues that the federal government shouldn’t abandon disaster mitigation and relief to local governments and private insurers, as some have suggested.
“Virtually every part of the country is seeing more and larger emergency events, on a truly historic scale,” Kettl writes, with two major implications: first, local governments and even state governments don’t have the capacity and resources to respond to disasters as quickly as FEMA.
“Second, more mandates have followed federal aid. The feds are now requiring everyone who has had property damaged in a flood disaster within a high-risk flood area to buy insurance, either from a private company or from the federal National Flood Insurance Program.” FEMA also started a voluntary “severe repetitive loss” program that allows state and local governments to buy out properties that suffer repeated damage.
For Kettl, the federal government’s growing role in disaster management is inevitable.
FULL STORY: Why Washington Can't Get Out of the Disaster Relief Business

New Florida Law Curbs HOA Power
The legislation seeks to cut down on ‘absurd’ citations for low-level violations.

New Tennessee Law Allows No-Cost Incentives for Affordable Housing
Local governments in the Volunteer State can now offer developers incentives like increased density, lower parking requirements, and priority permitting for affordable housing projects.

Planners’ Complicity in Excessive Traffic Deaths
Professor Wes Marshall’s provocatively-titled new book, "Killed by a Traffic Engineer," has stimulated fierce debates. Are his criticisms justified? Let’s examine the degree that traffic engineers contribute to avoidable traffic deaths.

Study: Housing Crisis is About Affordability, not Supply
New research shows that there is no overall shortage of housing units, but all U.S. metropolitan areas face a severe lack of affordable units for low-income renters.

Are Race-Based Lawsuits Affecting Community Lenders?
Shelterforce spoke with community lending leaders and experts about the current mood across the sector. What, if anything, are organizations doing to avoid becoming the next target of conservative activists?

New Park Promotes Community and Connectivity in Lewisville, Texas
The city of Lewisville just celebrated the opening of Glory Park/Parque la Gloria, helping to improve park access and the quality of life for residents.
City of Madera
City of Santa Clarita
Borough of Carlisle
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Colorado Energy Office
Pima County Community College District
City of Piedmont, CA
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