Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act

House Bill

H.R. 426

119th Congress

Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act

In Committee

Introduced:Jan 15, 2025

Primary Sponsor

W. Gregory Steube

Representative

Republican

FL-17

Cosponsors

3

Quick Stats

Policy Area

Emergency Management

Summary

This bill expands FEMA disaster housing assistance eligibility by lowering damage requirements from uninhabitable to damaged, allowing permanent housing construction as a cost-effective alternative, and recognizing constructive ownership for applicants without formal documentation. FEMA must consider all evidence of ownership claims and may accept signed statements when documentation is insufficient.

Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

SponsorW. Gregory Steube (R-FL)

Introduced1/15/2025

StatusReferred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act

This bill expands FEMA disaster housing assistance eligibility by lowering damage requirements from uninhabitable to damaged, allowing permanent housing construction as a cost-effective alternative, and recognizing constructive ownership for applicants without

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

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0 predictions

This bill expands FEMA disaster housing assistance eligibility by lowering damage requirements from uninhabitable to damaged, allowing permanent housing construction as a cost-effective alternative, and recognizing constructive ownership for applicants without formal documentation. FEMA must consider all evidence of ownership claims and may accept signed statements when documentation is insufficient.

Bill Number: 426
Sponsor: W. Gregory Steube (R-FL)
Introduced: 1/15/2025
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Policy Area: Emergency Management

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act
Bill Number: 426
Sponsor: W. Gregory Steube (R-FL)
Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.
Introduced: 1/15/2025
Summary: This bill expands FEMA disaster housing assistance eligibility by lowering damage requirements from uninhabitable to damaged, allowing permanent housing construction as a cost-effective alternative, and recognizing constructive ownership for applicants without formal documentation. FEMA must conside

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill expands FEMA disaster housing assistance eligibility by lowering damage requirements from uninhabitable to damaged, allowing permanent housing construction as a cost-effective alternative, and recognizing constructive ownership for applicants without formal documentation. FEMA must consider all evidence of ownership claims and may accept signed statements when documentation is insufficient.

Last updated: 1/4/2026

Official Summary

Congressional Research Service summary

Housing Survivors of Major Disasters ActThis 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.

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Lowers damage threshold from uninhabitable to damaged
Allows cost-effective permanent housing construction
Recognizes constructive ownership without formal documentation
FEMA must consider all ownership evidence
Signed statements acceptable when documentation insufficient

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

Disaster survivors often face barriers to FEMA assistance, particularly those with informal property arrangements common in low-income and rural communities. This bill addresses these gaps by expanding eligibility and recognizing ownership through evidence beyond formal deeds. The changes could significantly increase assistance to vulnerable populations who previously fell through the cracks of disaster relief programs.

Policy Areas

Primary Policy Area

Emergency Management

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

426, 119th Congress (2025). "Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-hr-426

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