Part 3: Constraints in Federal Response

1. Part 3: Constraints in Federal Response How do you overcome them?

2. What is a constraint & how do we cope? A constraint is an external obstacle, restriction or limitation that can impair our ability to respond effectively. Normal constraints can be overcome or addressed in a meaningful way. Unreasonable constraints become limitations which cannot be overcome without intervention.

3. Difficult spouse/mate Difficult children No money Crisis before exams Can’t find a job Counseling, Extra marital affair Baby sitter Forego opportunities Borrow money Steal/con Sponsor Waivers Extensions Special accommodations Family assistance Public assistance Desperation Keep looking Coping with Normal Constraints in Personal Life

4. Difficult boss Too much work Reduce sales Transfer to another dept. Acquiesce Quit Pull all-nighters Seek extension Reduce sales Shut down Layoffs Pressure to produce more Coping with Normal Constraints in Business Life

5. Common Strategies to Address Normal Constraints • Assistance from others • Reduce/realign expectations • Suspend rules • Special treatment • Waivers • Expedited action

6. Active Constraints Discrimination against a protected class, i.e., sex, race, gender, religion, age & sexual orientation Prejudice/bias Stereotyping Ignorance and fear Passive Constraints Neglect Indifference Treat as Invisible Causes When Constraints Become Unreasonable

7. Targets of Unreasonable Constraints • Minorities • Elderly • Persons with physical or mental disabilities • Persons who are odd or too different • Poor • Uneducated

8. Excuse Absence of proof of intent by Actor Not unreasonable Justified Self-imposed condition Predisposition Remedies Self-help Acquiesce Seek legal protection Damages Retaliation Rationalization for Actions

9. Allegations re Government Action that Affected Evacuees • Disclosure of facts to federal government by state but risks were minimized; • Lack of priority; • Delay in authorizing action; • Lack of incentive to act; • Turf wars within DHS/FEMA

10. Government’s Reaction to Missteps • Embarrassment • Blame • Defense • Apology • Pledge to do better • Overcompensation, e.g. throw money at evacuees • Investigation and Reporting • Expedited action for recovery and rebuilding

11. Actions Grants & waivers, Expedited processing, Preferences/Set asides for protected class, Suspension of criteria, Direct aid Issues Fairness to others; Need for checks and balances; Reverse discrimination; Potential for abuse, misuse. Who pays? Governments’ Obligations, If Any

12. Direct aid to Evacuees Monetary aid Allocation of personnel In-kind resources, e.g. housing, food Loans Job training Moratorium on foreclosures, taxes, mortgages Repairs and debris removal Issues Evidence of fraud Period of deployment Assistance vs. self-help Creditworthiness Outputs to outcome Timeframe and income Loss of property if cannot pay or w/o insurance Government’s 6-Month Progress

13. Direct aid to Evacuees Programs for minority, women and local business; Business loans Issues Outputs Outcomes. Calls leading to grants, contracts. Processing applications to grants. Government’s 6-Month Progress

14. Direct aid to Cities Waiver of caps for CDBG grants Loans to disaster cities Infrastructure repair Issues Aid to states taking evacuees but no money to affected cites; Ability to repay with reduced tax base; Disparate treatment, e.g., 91% highways repaired in Miss. 44% in La.; La. Port has 100% activity; Gulfport has 50% Government’s 6-Month Progress

15. Direct aid to Cities K-12 Miss. 93% & La. 79% reopened; New Orleans of 183 public schools closed, 17 reopened w/ 14% of pre-Katrina enrollment; 30% enrollment. 24 of 30 higher ed reopened, 10 of 15 closed in New Orleans Issues Do students have a place to live; Jobs for parents; $585M in disaster loans for cities for essential services. Government’s 6-Month Progress

16. Direct aid to States $2B to reimburse Medicaid; $550M in Soc. Sec. Block Grants for those lacking health ins. Loans to disaster cities Infrastructure repair Issues Aid to states taking evacuees but no money to affected cites; Ability to repay with reduced tax base; Disparate treatment, e.g., 91% highways repaired in Miss. 44% in La.; La. Port has 100% activity; Gulfport has 50% Government’s 6-Month Progress

17. Outputs to Outcomes • $245K business loan applications processed and 42% approved. • $5.2 billion in disaster loans to 73K homeowners, renters and businesses in 5 states. (1.5 million affected) • $12 million in grants for training in construction, energy, health care, transportation, safety/security.(? # persons hired) • 55/61% planned contracts went to La firms, 27 K or 52% are to small, disadvantaged/minority contractors.

18. Outputs to Outcomes • $126 M in aid from foreign parties. $66M from state transferred to FEMA for case management program to assess needs of 100K households; • $60.4 to Dept. of Ed for K-12 schools; $35M to higher ed. with focus on HBCs

19. Open Issues • Status of Prisoner’s rights? • Top-down aid so how do states and local governments recover? • When will the governments’ obligations to evacuees/businesses be fulfilled? • What activities focus of federal-state-local coordination?

20. Direct aid to evacuees and governments; Personnel changes to government; Reorganization of government departments, priorities, and functions; Reallocation of authority Self-help How much, how long, to whom, & accountability. Brown is gone; any further changes needed. Levels of bureaucracy within bureaucracy. Simplify chain of command. Affected are on their own so support private efforts. Possible Solutions