Disaster Survivors Can Be Prevented From Accessing Aid if They Are Unable to Show Proof of Property Ownership
Washington, D.C. — Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet joined colleagues in reintroducing the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act, which would streamline the process for survivors of natural disasters seeking housing assistance.
“Today, communities across the country struggle to rebuild after increasingly severe natural disasters – from wildfires to flooding to hurricanes. This bill will remove barriers to allow survivors of natural disasters to more easily access the housing aid they need to rebuild their lives,” said Bennet.
After natural disasters like wildfires or hurricanes devastate communities, survivors can be left with limited options for recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can deny requests for aid if the borrower cannot provide property titles, written leases, and other similar documents to show residency and occupancy of disaster-damaged property. This provision disproportionately impacts those who do not own the property on which they reside, including renters and those living in mobile homes.
The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would protect and expand upon acceptable forms of documentation that can be accepted as proof of residence for establishing disaster assistance eligibility—including a pay stub from an employer, a driver’s license or state-issued identification card, or school registration—making it easier for survivors to access aid.
The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would:
- Allow for disaster relief funds to be used to purchase a property title in regions where a natural disaster is declared by the President;
- Require FEMA to consider a broad range of additional forms of evidence when determining assistance eligibility;
- Require FEMA to allow a disaster relief applicant to self-certify eligibility for assistance through a declarative statement form;
- Allow individuals who have previously been denied assistance due to restrictive requirements to reopen cases and use new, expanded documentation for eligibility;
- Allow disaster relief funds to be used for repairs, in addition to rebuilding completely uninhabitable homes; and
- Require FEMA and HUD to engage in conversations about implementing a Disaster Housing Assistance Program or a similar joint program within 60 days of a disaster declaration.
The legislation is supported by: National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, and Americans for Financial Reform.
The text of the bill is available HERE.