RECOVERY ACCELERATION FUND
Only the most devastated communities will receive long-term recovery assistance from the Department Of Housing and Urban development. Those communities that do receive Community Development Block Grants for Recovery (CDBG-DR) often wait 2+ years for these funds to arrive. It takes state and local governments years to serve eligible families. This delay prevents low-income families from returning safely to their homes. Families who cannot afford to rebuild on their own and do not qualify for SBA loans must make difficult choices: live in the unsafe conditions of their damaged homes, and pay for temporary housing. In contrast, their home sits in disrepair or suffer the effects of long-term displacement and homelessness. Disasters destroy hard-won equity in homes, and without quick repairs, families lose the ability to transfer generational wealth to their children or provide essential family stability.
SBP’s Recovery Acceleration Fund (RAF) is a social impact investment fund that provides microloans for post-disaster rebuilding to low-income, HUD-qualified families who are not eligible for SBA loans. The RAF acts as a bridge loan that allows low to moderate-income homeowners to make home repairs years faster than if they had to wait on traditional government programs (CDBG-DR). SBP will use the RAF to address the financial barriers confronting communities of color and other underserved communities by providing HUD-approved microloans. The RAF allows the most vulnerable survivors to return home sooner, ensures financial stability by safely and quickly returning families to (and restoring equity in) the homes they own, and reduces the stress and trauma associated with displacement after a disaster. SBP has also confirmed that interest rates established through the RAF can be lower than the average market rate. Families can repay the RAF microloan as a balloon payment after receiving HUD reimbursement funds. SBP's ultimate goal for the RAF is for this model to become the national structure for long-term disaster recovery for low-income homeowners.
Need Help? Call 504-460-2316
Eligibility
To be eligible for assistance through the Recovery Acceleration Fund, clients must meet the following criteria:
- Own the home in need of repairs at the time of the storm and maintain ownership to the present day.
- Occupied the home as your primary residence at the time of the storm.
- The home is located within one of the FEMA Individual Assistance declared parishes for Hurricane Ida.
- Have a household income at or below 50% Area Median Income.
- Sustained at least $8k in FEMA-inspected real property damage due to Hurricane Ida.
- The home has not been declared substantially damaged by the local floodplain administrator
- Have not received or expected to receive insurance payments for structural damage greater than $25k.
BRING RAF TO YOUR COMMUNITY
SBP partners with corporate leaders, nonprofits, and other stakeholders to develop and advocate for solutions that address the inherent inequities and inefficiencies of the nation’s disaster preparedness and recovery system. As an innovative solution that has the ability to quickly leverage funds, the Recovery Acceleration Fund serves as a replicable, scalable model that promotes more prompt and predictable recoveries and financial stability for low-income disaster survivors.
If you are an elected official or community or NGO leader that serves disaster-impacted survivors and would like to discuss how to bring RAF to your community or to qualify your clients for the Recovery Acceleration Fund where possible, please contact Reese May – SBP's Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer.
If you are interested in learning more about or investing in the Recovery Acceleration Fund, please contact Keith McCulloch - SBP's Chief Financial Officer.
RAF Process vs. Current Process
