FEMA's Failure to Provide Evacuee Data Stalls Relief Efforts

Hurricane Katrina evacuees who are trying to rebuild their lives are being hindered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) failure to provide critical information about their whereabouts. Despite numerous requests from non-profit organizations, government agencies, and the public, FEMA has refused to release data on the number of people displaced from low-income housing and where they are living. This lack of transparency has sparked a wave of discontent against the beleaguered disaster-relief agency, which has been widely criticized for its response to the hurricane.

Key Takeaways:

• FEMA has failed to provide data on the number of people displaced from low-income housing and where they are living, despite numerous requests from relief groups and organizations.
• The lack of information has hindered relief efforts, making it difficult for organizations to provide aid and reconnect families.
• FEMA has refused to release data to groups that aim to profit from the evacuees, citing concerns about exploitation.
• PICO National Network, a coalition of 1,000 churches, including 100 in New Orleans, is seeking updates to data to help reconnect families and rebuild social networks.
• FEMA officials have promised to provide data, but have yet to release it to groups such as the National Apartment Association and the National Low Income Housing Coalition.
• Many relief groups are seeking updates to data that FEMA provided to USA TODAY on September 29, which showed that tens of thousands of evacuees were scattered across 18,700 ZIP codes in all 50 states.

Statistics:

• Over 180,000 people were displaced from low-income housing due to Hurricane Katrina, according to USA TODAY's September 29 map.
• 18,700 ZIP codes in all 50 states were affected by the hurricane, with tens of thousands of evacuees scattered across the country.
• 1,000 churches nationwide are part of PICO National Network, which is seeking updates to evacuation data to help reconnect families and rebuild social networks.
• 100 churches in New Orleans are part of PICO National Network, which is critical to the relief efforts in the affected city.
• Since the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast on August 29, FEMA has been widely assailed for its response, with criticism mounting over its failure to provide critical information to relief groups.

Sources:

• Sheila Crowley, National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Nicol Andrews, FEMA spokeswoman
• Douglas Culkin, National Apartment Association
• Gordon Whitman, PICO National Network
• USA TODAY, September 29