119-hr426

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 426 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 426

 To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected 
 by major disasters, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 15, 2025

Mr. Espaillat (for himself and Mrs. Kim) introduced the following bill; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and 
 Infrastructure, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected 
 by major disasters, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Housing Survivors of Major Disasters 
Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

 In this Act:

    (1) FEMA.--The term ``FEMA'' means the Federal Emergency 
 Management Agency.

    (2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the 
 Administrator of FEMA.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Evidence.--

    (1) Consideration.--Where an individual or household does 
 not have documented ownership rights in their predisaster 
 primary residence, in making a determination to provide 
 assistance pursuant to paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) of 

section 408
            (c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174
            (c) ), the President shall 
 consider an individual or household claim to having 
 constructive ownership where evidence supports that it is more 
 likely than not the individual or household has such ownership.

    (2) Forms of evidence.--In determining whether it is more 
 likely than not that an individual or household has 
 constructive ownership under paragraph

    (1) , the Administrator 
 shall consider all evidence provided by an individual or 
 household, including a digital or physical copy of the 
 following:
        (A) The deed or title for the applicable property.
        (B) A mortgage payment booklet or another mortgage 
 document.
            (C) Property title of mobile home certificate of 
 title.
            (D) A real estate property tax receipt.
        (E) A will and testament with the name and address 
 of the individual that conveys the individual is the 
 owner.
        (F) In a State that does not require a will and 
 testament for the transfer of immovable property, a 
 death certificate and birth certificate that 
 establishes an automatic transfer of legal ownership.
        (G) Homeowners insurance documentation.
        (H) Home Purchase Contracts, including, but not 
 limited to, Bill of Sale, Bond for Title, Land 
 Installment Contracts.
            (I) Receipts of major repairs or maintenance dated 
 within five years prior to the disaster.
        (J) Court Documents.
        (K) Letter prepared after the disaster from a 
 mobile home park owner or manager or public office that 
 meets FEMA requirements.
            (L) Notice of Federal benefits.
            (M) Student loan documentation.
        (N) Any other documentation, certification, 
 identification, or proof of occupancy or ownership not 
 included on this list that can reasonably link the 
 individual requesting assistance to the applicable 
 property, as determined by the President.

    (3) Declarative statement.--
        (A) In general.--Where evidence of constructive 
 ownership is not sufficient, the Administrator may 
 require the individual or household to provide a 
 declarative statement, signed under penalty of perjury, 
 that describes why the individual or household is the 
 constructive owner of the property.
        (B) Prohibition of notarization.--The Administrator 
 may not require notarization of a declarative statement 
 submitted under this paragraph.

    (b) Definition of Constructive Ownership.--In this section, the 
term ``constructive ownership'' means that an individual's or 
household's residence is owner-occupied, as determined by the 
Administrator, the purposes of 

section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford 
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174).
            (c) Applicability.--This section shall apply to funds appropriated 
on or after the date of enactment of this Act.

SEC. 4. REPAIR AND REBUILDING.

    (a) Housing Assistance.--

Section 408

    (b)

    (1) of the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5174

    (b)

    (1) ) is amended--

    (1) by striking ``rendered uninhabitable'' and inserting 
 ``damaged by a major disaster''; and

    (2) by striking ``uninhabitable, as a result of damage 
 caused by a major disaster'' and inserting ``damaged by a major 
 disaster''.

    (b) Types of Housing Assistance.--

Section 408
            (c) (4) of the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5174) is amended by striking ``in cases in which'' and all that follows 
through the end of the paragraph and inserting ``if the President 
determines such assistance is a cost effective alternative to other 
housing solutions, including the costs associated with temporary 
housing provided under this section.''.
            (c) Provision of Grants as Pilot Program.--

Section 408

    (f)

    (3)
        (J) of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 
U.S.C. 5174

    (f)

    (3)
        (J) ) is amended--

    (1) in clause
            (ii) by striking ``Not later than 2 years 
 after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the 
 Administrator'' and inserting ``The Administrator''; and

    (2) in clause
            (iii) --
        (A) by striking ``2 years after the date of 
 enactment of this paragraph or''; and
        (B) by striking ``, whichever occurs sooner''.
            (d) Applicability.--This section and the amendments made by this 
section shall only apply to--

    (1) applications received on or after the date of enactment 
 of this Act; and

    (2) amounts appropriated on or after the date of enactment 
 of this Act.

SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS.

 The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of complying 
with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, shall be determined by 
reference to the latest statement titled ``Budgetary Effects of PAYGO 
Legislation'' for this Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional 
Record by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, provided that 
such statement has been submitted prior to the vote on passage.
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