Changing climate conditions pose a unique threat to the nation’s most at-risk populations by exacerbating the impacts of disasters on underserved and socially vulnerable communities, which already experience the greatest losses from natural hazards. The Investment Strategy recognizes the need to represent vulnerable populations, and the continued emphasis on equitable outcomes across the HMA programs has also been strengthened by other federal actions. On January 20, 2021, President Biden signed EO 13985 on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government, which requires the federal government to “pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.”
EO 13985 defines equity as “the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.”
Data has shown that the most underserved and marginalized populations in our communities tend to live in at-risk hazard-prone areas or in homes with substandard construction.[17] The data also indicates that underserved and marginalized communities are less likely to recover after a disaster. Thus, FEMA has long worked with applicants and subapplicants to ensure that the concerns and needs of all members of the community are being considered, especially those in the communities that are most underserved and marginalized. FEMA works to ensure that all communities have fair and equal access to FEMA programs, including HMA programs, to mitigate future impacts of disasters and to reduce suffering.
HMA developed an Equity Action Plan in response to EO 13985. The HMA Equity Action Plan includes a series of actions focused on programmatic advances in the areas of data collection and analysis, program design, and outreach and engagement that will comprehensively assess HMA programs and help to increase state, local, tribal, and territorial capability and capacity. These efforts will provide program enhancements to increase the access to and the navigation of HMA programs. These enhancements include initiatives such as Direct Technical Assistance and location-based mitigation solutions designed to target the underserved communities that have the greatest natural hazard mitigation and resilient recovery needs.
HMA also aims to promote equity in the delivery of its programs in line with the Administration’s Justice40 Initiative, which is outlined in EO 14008. In 2021, two FEMA HMA grant programs were selected as pilot programs under the Justice40 Initiative: BRIC and FMA. Under this pilot, BRIC and FMA will prioritize assistance that benefits disadvantaged communities as referenced in EO 14008. More information can be found in the respective programs’ NOFOs.