II 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 5350 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected by major 

disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

NOVEMBER 20, 2024 

Ms. WARREN (for herself, Mr. MARKEY, Mr. BENNET, Mr. BLUMENTHAL, Mr. 

BOOKER, Mr. DURBIN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. HELMY, Mr. KAINE, Ms. 

KLOBUCHAR, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr. PADILLA, Mr. SANDERS, and Mr. VAN

HOLLEN) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families 

affected by major disasters, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Housing Survivors of 

5 Major Disasters Act of 2024’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act: 

8 (1) FEMA.—The term ‘‘FEMA’’ means the 

9 Federal Emergency Management Agency. 


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1 (2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis2 trator’’ means the Administrator of FEMA. 

3 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST4 ANCE. 

5 (a) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.—Notwithstanding any 

6 other provision of law, individuals and households de7 scribed in subsection (c) may be eligible for assistance 

8 made available under section 408 of the Robert T. Staf9 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 

10 U.S.C. 5174) in connection with a major disaster declared 

11 by the President under section 401 of such Act (42 U.S.C. 

12 5170), including Hurricane Maria of 2017. 

13 (b) USE OF FUNDS.—Any assistance provided pursu14 ant to subsection (a) may include costs relating to obtain15 ing title for a property described in subsection (c)(1), in16 cluding the cost of land surveys and any other taxes or 

17 fees associated with obtaining the title for such property. 

18 (c) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS OR HOUSEHOLDS.—With 

19 respect to a major disaster declared by the President 

20 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re21 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), an 

22 individual or household described in this subsection is an 

23 individual or household who— 

24 (1) is residing on a property located in the area 

25 for which the major disaster was declared but does 


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1 not have documented ownership rights to such prop2 erty and is not renting such property; or 

3 (2) is or was residing in, or otherwise perma4 nently or temporarily occupying, an area for which 

5 a major disaster has been declared by the President 

6 under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 

7 Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 5170), during the designated incident period, includ9 ing individuals experiencing homelessness and those 

10 residing in any housing accommodation or property 

11 upon which a housing accommodation is located, in12 cluding any living quarters, boardinghouse, bunk13 house, manufactured home, mobile home, or travel 

14 trailer. 

15 (d) EVIDENCE.— 

16 (1) CONSIDERATION.—In the case of an indi17 vidual or household that does not have documented 

18 ownership rights in the predisaster primary resi19 dence of the individual or household, in making a 

20 determination to provide assistance pursuant to 

21 paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 408(c) of the Rob22 ert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As23 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)) for owner-occu24 pants, the Administrator shall consider evidence de25 monstrative of the individual or household having 


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1 constructive ownership of the predisaster primary 

2 residence. 

3 (2) FORMS OF EVIDENCE.—In determining 

4 whether an individual or household has constructive 

5 ownership for the purpose of paragraph (1), the Ad6 ministrator shall consider a wide range of evidence, 

7 including the following: 

8 (A) A utility (including gas, electric, sewer, 

9 or water) bill with the name and address of the 

10 individual. 

11 (B) A merchant’s statement (including a 

12 credit card, delivery notice, or first class mail) 

13 with the name and address of the individual. 

14 (C) A pay stub from an employer with the 

15 name and address of the individual. 

16 (D) A current driver’s license or State17 issued identification card of the individual. 

18 (E) The deed or title for the applicable 

19 property. 

20 (F) A mortgage payment booklet or an21 other mortgage document. 

22 (G) Property title of mobile home certifi23 cate of title. 

24 (H) A real estate property tax receipt. 


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1 (I) A school registration containing the ad2 dress of self, child, or children. 

3 (J) A will and testament with the name 

4 and address of the individual. 

5 (K) In a State that does not require a will 

6 and testament for the transfer of immovable 

7 property, a death certificate and birth certifi8 cate that establishes an automatic transfer of 

9 legal ownership. 

10 (L) Medical records that list the name and 

11 address of the individual. 

12 (M) A charitable donation receipt that lists 

13 the name and address of the individual. 

14 (N) Any other documentation, certification, 

15 identification, or proof of occupancy or owner16 ship not included on this list that can reason17 ably link the individual requesting assistance to 

18 the applicable property. 

19 (e) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply to 

20 funds appropriated on or after the date of enactment of 

21 this Act. 

22 SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT. 

23 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 

24 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 30 days after 

25 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 


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1 shall create, in coordination with the appropriate au2 thorities of the applicable jurisdiction, and dis3 tribute, where necessary, a declarative statement 

4 form that an applicant for assistance provided pur5 suant to section 3 may use to self-certify such appli6 cant’s eligibility for assistance pursuant to this Act. 

7 (2) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The Ad8 ministrator may not require the declarative state9 ment form created under paragraph (1) to require 

10 notarization by the applicant. 

11 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—A declarative statement form cre12 ated under subsection (a)(1) shall be exempt from publica13 tion notice, public comment periods, and agency informa14 tion collection review and approval by the Office of Man15 agement and Budget required by the Paperwork Reduc16 tion Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

17 (c) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 30 days after the 

18 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall pro19 vide written notification and guidance to employees of 

20 FEMA regarding the requirements of this Act. 

21 (d) PUBLICATION.—Not later than 30 days after the 

22 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall— 

23 (1) make the declarative statement form cre24 ated under subsection (a)(1) available in Spanish 


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1 and English at all active Disaster Recovery Centers; 

2 and 

3 (2) publish in English, Spanish, and any other 

4 locally predominant languages on the website of 

5 FEMA and on social media the declarative state6 ment form and instructions on how applicants can 

7 reopen or seek further appeal of relevant determina8 tions. 

9 (e) PAST DISASTERS.—For applicants of assistance 

10 provided pursuant to section 3 since January 1, 2017, the 

11 Administrator shall provide an applicant not fewer than 

12 180 days to submit the declarative statement form to re13 open or appeal a case after such applicant has received 

14 notice of the right to do so. 

15 SEC. 5. REPAIR AND REBUILDING. 

16 Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 

17 and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is 

18 amended— 

19 (1) in subsection (b)(1)— 

20 (A) by striking ‘‘rendered uninhabitable’’ 

21 and inserting ‘‘damaged by a major disaster’’; 

22 and 

23 (B) by striking ‘‘uninhabitable, as a result 

24 of damage caused by a major disaster’’ and in25 serting ‘‘damaged by a major disaster’’; and 


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1 (2) in subsection (c)— 

2 (A) in paragraph (2)(A)(i) by striking ‘‘to 

3 a safe and sanitary living or functioning condi4 tion’’ and inserting ‘‘to ensure that such resi5 dences are habitable during longer term recov6 ery (including through coordination with other 

7 sources for repair and rebuilding of such resi8 dences)’’; and 

9 (B) in paragraph (4) by striking ‘‘in cases 

10 in which’’ and all that follows, and inserting ‘‘if 

11 the President determines such assistance is a 

12 cost effective alternative to other housing solu13 tions, including the costs associated with tem14 porary housing provided under this section.’’. 

15 SEC. 6. FEMA HUD AGREEMENTS. 

16 In the case of any major disaster declared by the 

17 President under section 401 of the Robert T. Stafford 

18 Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 

19 5170) on or after the date of enactment of this Act, not 

20 later than 60 days after the date of the declaration of the 

21 major disaster, the Administrator and the Secretary of 

22 Housing and Urban Development shall engage in con23 sultations regarding the implementation of a disaster 

24 housing assistance program or similar joint program 

25 under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster ReVerDate Sep 11 2014 18:02 Nov 25, 2024 Jkt 059200 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S5350.IS S5350

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1 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) to 

2 provide temporary rental assistance to individuals and 

3 households displaced from their residences by the major 

4 disaster, including individuals and households eligible for 

5 such assistance under section 3(a) of this Act. 

Æ 


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