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This bill would create a temporary housing pilot program to help people after major disasters. It would let the federal government contract with manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and modular housing producers to build small manufactured or modular housing units that can be used quickly after a disaster. The goal is to get safe housing to survivors faster, while still meeting important safety, flood, and building standards. The bill also allows these units to be turned into permanent housing later or moved into local affordable housing programs. In addition, it gives the president the option to help disaster survivors pay closing costs when they buy a home with a federal mortgage program.
- Temporary disaster housing would be built as manufactured or modular structures, with no more than four units.
- The housing would need to be available within 90 days after a disaster is declared, or up to 120 days if the Housing Secretary approves more time.
- The units would have to follow applicable safety rules, flood protections, building codes, and local or tribal requirements, unless the Housing Secretary grants a waiver.
- The program would last for five years, and the government would also set rules for moving the housing into local affordable housing programs after the disaster response ends.
Official Summaries
Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act
This bill requires the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish a five-year pilot program under the Individuals and Households Program (IHP) through which FEMA contracts to provide factory-built housing to serve disaster survivors until the disaster declaration terminates and then be utilized for affordable housing. It also authorizes FEMA to provide IHP grants for closing costs associated with obtaining certain mortgages.
Specifically, FEMA must enter into a contract with a producer or seller of manufactured or modular homes to construct such housing as a type of temporary housing assistance under IHP. The bill requires the housing to meet specified criteria, including that it must be available within 90 days (unless extended to 120 days) after the disaster declaration, have no more than four units, and provide a minimum level of protection from natural hazards. The housing must conform to various specified standards, but the bill authorizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development to waive any such requirement for construction under the pilot program.
Also, the bill requires FEMA to establish guidelines for transferring the housing to an affordable housing program after the termination of the relevant disaster declaration. However, the bill also authorizes it to become permanent housing after the declaration terminates.
In addition, the bill authorizes FEMA to provide IHP grants to disaster-impacted individuals or households purchasing residential property for closing costs associated with obtaining a mortgage from a federal program providing affordable financing options.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 120 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 120
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to establish a pilot program for the construction of
temporary disaster assistance housing, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
January 16, 2025
Mr. Cassidy (for himself and Mr. Padilla) introduced the following
bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland
Security and Governmental Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to establish a pilot program for the construction of
temporary disaster assistance housing, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Housing Reform for American
Families Act''.
SEC. 2. DISASTER ASSISTANCE HOUSING PILOT PROGRAM.
Section 408(c) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)) is amended by adding at
the end the following:
``(5) Pilot program.--
``(A) Definitions.--In this paragraph:
``(i) Distributor; manufactured home;
manufacturer; retailer.--The terms
`distributor', `manufactured home',
`manufacturer', and `retailer' have the
meanings given those terms in section 603 of
the National Manufactured Housing Construction
and Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C.
5402).
``(ii) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible
entity' means--
``(I) a manufacturer, distributor,
or retailer of a manufactured home or a
modular home; and
``(II) a producer of modular
housing.
``(iii) Secretary.--The term `Secretary'
means the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development, in coordination with the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency.
``(B) Establishment.--The President shall establish
a pilot program under which the President enters into a
contract with an eligible entity for the purpose of
constructing temporary housing to serve as a type of
housing available to individuals and households under
subsection (b)(1).
``(C) Requirements.--Housing constructed pursuant
to subparagraph (B) shall--
``(i) be in the form of a manufactured or
modular housing structure with not more than 4
units;
``(ii) be available to individuals and
households not later than 90 days (or 120 days,
upon extension by the Secretary) after the date
on which the President declares a major
disaster;
``(iii) subject to subparagraph (D)(ii),
conform with, as applicable--
``(I) construction standards of the
National Flood Insurance Program;
``(II) standards for new
construction under the National
Manufactured Housing Construction and
Safety Standards Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C.
5401 et seq.);
``(III) standards under the most
recent or second most recent edition of
the International Residential Code;
``(IV) applicable building codes in
the State, local, or Tribal
jurisdiction in which the housing is
located;
``(V) requirements of the Federal
Flood Risk Management Standard of the
Federal Emergency Management Agency;
``(VI) local zoning ordinances;
``(VII) the national technical
standard for flood resistant design and
construction (ASCE/SEI 24-14); or
``(VIII) the manufactured home and
construction safety standards under
part 3280 of title 24, Code of
Regulations, or any successor
regulation;
``(iv) reflect the needs of the community
in which the housing is constructed according
to the type of major disaster experienced by
the community; and
``(v) provide a minimum level of protection
against natural hazards for the purpose of
protecting the health, safety, and general
welfare of the users of the housing against
disasters.
``(D) Permanence; waiver.--Housing constructed
pursuant to subparagraph (B) may--
``(i) have the capacity to become permanent
housing after the date on which a major
disaster declaration terminates; and
``(ii) receive a waiver for a requirement
described in subparagraph (C)(iii) from the
Secretary.
``(E) Transfer guidelines.--The President, in
coordination with the Secretary, shall establish
guidelines for the transfer of housing constructed
under subparagraph (B) to an established affordable
housing program administered by a locality, public
housing authority, nonprofit organization, or
affordable housing developer after the date on which
the disaster declaration for the major disaster for
which the housing is constructed terminates.
``(F) Termination.--The program established
pursuant to subparagraph (B) shall terminate on the
date that is 5 years after the date of enactment of the
Disaster Housing Reform for American Families Act.
``(6) Closing costs.--The President may provide financial
assistance to individuals or households affected by a major
disaster and purchasing a residential property for closing
costs associated with obtaining a mortgage from a Federal
program that provides affordable financing options.''.
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