Denver — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined his colleagues in reintroducing the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, legislation to help communities affected by major natural disasters access housing assistance.
“In Colorado, we are all too familiar with natural disasters that tear through our communities and disrupt our lives,” said Bennet. “Communities in Colorado and nationwide face increasingly severe wildfires, flooding, and threats to our lives and livelihoods. This legislation would remove unnecessary obstacles to assistance and ensure that survivors of natural disasters have the support they need to swiftly rebuild their lives.”
The reintroduction of this bill is particularly timely given the recent damage caused by Hurricanes Ian and Fiona. The reintroduction also follows the recent 5-year anniversary of Hurricane Maria.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) often turns away eligible disaster survivors who are unable to present property titles, 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, disaster survivors can be prevented from accessing aid because of this requirement.
The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would:
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Allow for disaster relief funds to be used for the acquisition of a property title in regions where a natural disaster is declared by the President.
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Require FEMA to consider additional forms of evidence when determining assistance eligibility, including a utility bill, merchant statement, pay stub, current driver’s license or state-issued ID, property title or mobile home certificate of title, property tax receipt, school registration, a will and testament, a death certificate that established automatic transfer of ownership, medical records, a charitable donation receipt, or 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
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Require FEMA to create a declarative statement form, which would allow a disaster relief applicant to self-certify eligibility for assistance
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Allow individuals who have previously been denied assistance due to restrictive proof-of-ownership requirements to reopen cases and use new, expanded documentation to become eligible for assistance (applies to disasters declared after January 1, 2017).
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Allow disaster relief funds to be used for repairs, not just rebuilding homes that have been rendered completely uninhabitable
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Require FEMA and HUD to engage in consultations regarding the implementation of a DHAP, or a similar joint program, within 60 days of a disaster declaration.
This legislation is endorsed by: the National Low Income Housing Coalition, UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, Americans for Financial Reform, United Way of Central Massachusetts, Seven Hills Foundation, and Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion.
The full text of the bill is available HERE.
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