SMACNA and several other building and construction organizations have signed a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding post-disaster reconstruction regulations. Within the letter to Marion M. McFadden, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, SMACNA and the other signatories voiced their support for a HUD requirement that projects using Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds must adhere to existing building codes and standards.
CDBG-DR funds are designed to help cities, counties, and states to recover from Presidentially declared disasters, such as hurricanes, floods, fires. The recent Hurricane Ian disaster was one of the top three property loss events in history. The resulting devastation of the Gulf region’s older structures and damaged newer facilities will require extensive federal assistance and rebuilding guidance to comply with the currently more resilient building codes and standards.
SMACNA and the other signatories firmly emphasized that by ensuring that reconstructed and renovated structures comply with relevant and updated codes and standards. This is especially true for public facilities, which often serve as shelters, so they can protect occupants even during the most severe disaster. In addition, enforcing these standards will increase energy efficiencies, reduce operating costs and reduce complexity in building systems.
Take a moment to read the joint letter to HUD.
