Hurricane Ida 1-year anniversary: LASP continues to help low-income survivors

(Aug. 17, 2022)

Natural disasters often cause legal problems that last for years. Hurricane Ida survivors are expected to face long-term legal issues as well. With the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida on Sept. 1, LASP continues to work on Hurricane Ida cases, and will continue to help low-income survivors with legal problems related to the storm in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties. This work continues thanks to a disaster relief supplemental grant from Legal Services Corporation (LSC).

To contact Legal Aid of Southeastern PA about a legal problem related to Hurricane Ida, please call our Helpline at 877-429-5994 Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m., or apply online 24/7 at lasp.org/apply.

LSC's 2018 Report of the LSC Disaster Task Force discusses the importance of integrating legal recovery with overall disaster recovery. The report notes, "The recovery process does not end in the weeks immediately following the disaster. Instead, it may extend for many years, and community organizations may be faced with aiding survivors with long-term issues including contractor fraud, insurance and benefit issues, title disputes, social service eligibility disputes, replacement of significant documents, and housing issues such as evictions and foreclosures." (page 7)

The report also notes, "...low-income survivors are typically the hardest hit by a disaster and will face significant obstacles in their path to recovery."

Long-term legal issues arising after a natural disaster can include:

Federal

  • Renewing Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) disaster assistance

  • Appealing denials of FEMA disaster assistance

  • Personal bankruptcy

  • Recoupment processes

  • Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP)

  • Community Development Block Grant—Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR)

State

  • Insurance claims and disputes

  • Consumer protection and contractor disputes

  • Foreclosures

  • Domestic violence

  • Title clearing

  • Employment issues

  • Equal access/non-discrimination

Further reading

Marion Fraley