FEMA Should Recover $234,034 of Public Assistance Grant Funds Awarded to City of Daytona Beach, Florida – Hurricane Charley

The City received a Public Assistance grant award of $3.0 million from the Florida Division of Emergency Management (State), FEMA grantee, for damages resulting from Hurricane Charley, which occurred in August 2004. The award provided 100 percent FEMA funding for the first 72 hours of debris removal and emergency protective measures undertaken as a result of the disaster and 90 percent funding thereafter. The award also provided 90 percent funding for permanent repairs to buildings and other facilities. The award consisted of 13 large projects and 26 small projects. We audited seven large projects and six small projects with awards totaling $1.9 million (see Exhibit, Schedule of Projects Audited and Questioned Costs). We limited our review of small projects to determining whether the City (1) completed the projects, and (2) received duplicate benefits for the projects.