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| Flooding in Iowa: A Responsible Response | |
| Principles for Policy: The 'Three Ts' | |
| Efforts to rebuild from Iowa's devastating floods demand guidance from three principles: Public policy responses must be timely, targeted and transitional. Report (4 pg) (8/12/08) | |
| Census Data Show: Low-Income Areas Hit Hardest in Cedar Rapids | |
| While the Cedar Rapids area is more prosperous than the state as a whole, the same cannot be said of the areas hit hardest by flooding this summer. Report (4 pg) (8/12/08) | |
| June floods that devastated many parts of Iowa particularly affected low-income residents in the Cedar Rapids area, showing a need for targeted policy responses by the state. News release (8/12/08) | |
| Property-Tax Responses Miss the Mark for Effective Response | |
| Tax policy is likely to fail as an efficient or effective response to Iowa's flooding disaster and moves to rebuild. Property tax responses, especially, miss the mark on key principles that should guide policy makers. Report (3 pg), News release (8/13/08) | |
| Special Challenges for Low-Income Flood Victims | |
| Iowa’s flood-recovery planning must recognize challenges faced by low-income families. Low-income flood victims were already at the margins in a sluggish Iowa economy before the floods. Report (4 pg), News release, Fact sheet (8/19/08) | |
| Housing Issues Emerge; Prompt But Deliberate Focus Needed | |
| The Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission correctly focuses on a quick and sustained approach to meet housing needs following Iowa’s 2008 storm disasters, but misses on one proposed tool by promoting the discredited enterprise zone program. Report (8 pg), News release. (9/4/08) | |
IFP backgrounder |
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GUIDING PRINCIPLES |
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Responses to Disasters Need to Be: |
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TIMELY • Focused relief efforts need to occur when people are experiencing the disruptions and have immediate need for relief (recognizing the phases that families are likely to experience in dealing with loss) • Rebuilding opportunities need to be presented when there is a readiness and capacity to take advantage of the opportunity to rebuild TARGETED • Rebuilding efforts need to be focused upon those impacted by the disaster, with a particular emphasis upon those for whom rebuilding will be most problematic (low-income and limited resource families) • Rebuilding efforts need to involve those impacted in the planning and, to the extent possible, make use of their own skills and talents in rebuilding • Rebuilding efforts need to pay attention to 21st century demands and pay particular attention to “green” strategies and to inclusion in responding to an increasingly diverse Iowa population TRANSITIONAL • Although rebuilding efforts will take years, most policies should be designed as temporary and not permanent ones • Accountability for results requires that clear, time-specific goals and objectives be established for investments
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