DRRA Provisions 1210(A)-1219

Authorizes the President to waive certain duplication of benefits if waiver is in the public interest and will not result in waste, fraud, or abuse.

This section authorizes FEMA to provide assistance to States under its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for water resource development projects that also fall within the authority of the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).

Amends the Stafford Act in the following ways:

• (a) Authorizes FEMA to provide grants to state or tribal governments to directly administer temporary and permanent housing construction.
• (b) Allows state or local governments who implement cost-effective housing solutions be reimbursed, under certain conditions.

Section 1211 authorizes FEMA to issue grants to states, territories, and federally recognized tribes (STTs) to administer Direct Temporary Housing Assistance and Permanent Housing Construction.  FEMA will offer the grant under a pilot program that expires on October 5, 2020 before issuing final regulations implementing this authority. In response to these new authorities, the FEMA developed the State-Administered Direct Housing Grant Guide which provides guidance to STTs on the necessary capabilities, processes, roles and responsibilities, and coordination requirements for requesting and receiving State-Administered Direct Housing Grant funds under a cooperative agreement.

Provides for separate maximum grant amounts for Other Needs Assistance and Housing Assistance under the Individual Assistance program. It also excludes rental assistance and accessibility-related personal property costs from those maximum grant amounts.

Authorizes FEMA, within its Multifamily Lease and Repair Program, to allow repairs on properties within this program to be above the value of the lease agreement. It also includes properties in areas impacted by the disaster, as well as properties in areas within a major disaster declaration.

Adds food banks to the definition of eligible Private Non-Profit facilities.

Expands the definition of management costs to include both direct and indirect administrative expenses by the state, local, tribal or territorial government. It also requires FEMA to reimburse Public Assistance management costs up to 12 percent of the total award amount (up to 7 percent for the recipient and 5 percent for the subrecipient).

Expands the definition of management costs to include both direct and indirect administrative expenses by the state, local, tribal or territorial government.  It also requires FEMA to reimburse HMGP management costs up to 15 percent of the total award amount (up to 10 percent for the recipient and 5 percent for the subrecipient).

Authorizes FEMA to waive Individual Assistance debts when the debt was the result of FEMA error and not the fault of the debtor, and the Administrator determines that collection of the debt would be against equity and good conscience. It establishes a three-year statute of limitations on the recoupment of assistance under the Individuals and Households Program.

Changes the beginning of the statute of limitations for recoupment of Public Assistance from state or local governments to run from the closeout of individual projects.

This section authorizes FEMA to establish one or more national veterinary emergency teams at accredited colleges of veterinary medicine.

Provides for arbitration of disputes, in lieu of a second appeal, under the Public Assistance program.