“The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act” (H.R. 3037), introduced by Representative Adriano Espaillat (D-NY) and Resident Commissioner Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon (R-PR), was unanimously approved by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on July 28, thanks in large part to the advocacy of the NLIHC-led Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition (DHRC). The bill was written with input from DHRC members and includes many of the coalition’s top disaster recovery priorities. The same bill was unanimously passed by the House of Representatives last year.
The legislation addresses significant title-documentation challenges that have resulted in thousands of eligible disaster survivors being wrongfully denied FEMA assistance. FEMA turns away eligible disaster survivors unable to present property title, written leases, and other similar documents to show residency and occupancy of disaster-damaged property. In areas where mobile homes and alternative property ownership methods are prevalent—such as Puerto Rico, the Gulf Coast, Northern California, and the Pacific Northwest—disaster survivors can be prevented from accessing aid because of this requirement.
The bill would make it easier for disaster survivors to prove residency in disaster-impacted areas or ownership of a disaster-damaged home through a “declarative statement” form attesting to their ownership of the property, or through the submission of utility bills, credit card statements, pay stubs, and school registrations. These changes ensure that disaster survivors with low incomes would be able to access the assistance they need without being forced to endure a lengthy and complicated title clearing process or go without much-needed assistance.
The unanimous committee passage of this bill would not have been possible without the leadership of Representative Espaillat, Resident Commissioner Gonzalez-Colon, House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR), and the concerted efforts of DHRC members and partners. The DHRC will continue working to improve the legislation as it goes to the House floor for a vote. Advocates should urge their members of Congress to vote in favor of the bill.
Read the text of the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act at: https://bit.ly/3iXR908
Read a fact sheet on the bill at: https://bit.ly/3xeU8Xd