Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 426
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Emergency Management
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-01-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- Last Updated
- 2025-12-10T09:06:17Z
Official Summary
Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act
This bill expands eligibility for disaster housing assistance under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program (IHP) with respect to property damage, availability of housing resources, and constructive (i.e., implied) ownership.
Specifically, the bill lowers the level of damage required to be eligible for IHP housing assistance, so the residence must be damaged by a major disaster instead of rendered uninhabitable.
Also, under current law, FEMA is authorized to provide IHP assistance for permanent housing construction where (1) no alternative housing resources are available; and (2) other types of temporary housing assistance are unavailable, infeasible, or not cost-effective. The bill authorizes IHP permanent housing construction where FEMA determines such assistance is a cost-effective alternative to other housing solutions, such as providing for temporary housing costs.
Additionally, the bill requires FEMA to consider an individual's or household’s claim of constructive ownership, where evidence supports such ownership is more likely than not, when determining eligibility for IHP financial assistance for home repair or replacement for a residence without documented ownership rights. FEMA must consider all evidence provided (e.g., deeds, tax receipts, insurance documents) when determining whether constructive ownership more likely than not exists. If FEMA determines the evidence is insufficient, FEMA may require a signed declarative statement describing the constructive ownership.
Sponsor
Rep. Espaillat, Adriano [D-NY-13]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1], Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2025-01-16: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
- 2025-01-15: 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.
- 2025-01-15: 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.
- 2025-01-15: Introduced in House
- 2025-01-15: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act — issued 2025-01-15 — PDF (7 pages)