Special Report: Lessons Learned from Prior DHS-OIG Reports Related to FEMA's Response to Texas Disasters and Texas' Management of FEMA Grant Funds

As FEMA moves into the recovery phase for Hurricane Harvey in Texas, it will begin to obligate millions, if not billions, of dollars from the Disaster Relief Fund for administrative costs and for Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation grants to eligible State, tribal, and local governments and certain nonprofit organizations. Texas, as a FEMA grant recipient, will be responsible for oversight and monitoring of the disaster grants to Texas subrecipients. Our prior reports identified FEMA faced resource challenges in its response to a May 2015 Texas flooding disaster and determined that Texas needs to improve its grant management efforts. We urge FEMA officials to be mindful of lessons learned from these prior reports in providing disaster assistance to Hurricane Harvey survivors and that they closely monitor Texas’ grant management activities. Doing so should provide reasonable, but not absolute, assurance that Federal disaster assistance funds are spent properly and that the risk of ineligible and excessive costs borne by taxpayers is mitigated.