I 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2914 

To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected by major 

disasters, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 22, 2019 

Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself and Miss GONZA ́LEZ-COLO ́N of Puerto Rico) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 

Transportation and Infrastructure 

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 2019’’. 

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this Act, the terms ‘‘Agency’’ and ‘‘Administrator’’ 

8 mean the Federal Emergency Management Agency and 

9 the Administrator thereof, respectively. 


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1 SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST2 ANCE. 

3 (a) ELIGIBILITY.—Notwithstanding any other provi4 sion of law, individuals and households described in sub5 section (c) shall be eligible for assistance made available 

6 under section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Re7 lief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) in 

8 connection with a major disaster declared by the President 

9 under such section 408, including Hurricane Maria of 

10 2017. 

11 (b) USE.—In the case of any assistance described in 

12 subsection (a) that is made available in connection with 

13 a major disaster declared by the President under section 

14 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer15 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), including Hurri16 cane Maria of 2017, such assistance may be used on be17 half of an individual or household described in subsection 

18 (c) for costs relating to obtaining title for that individual 

19 or household to a property described in such subsection, 

20 including the cost of land surveys and any other taxes or 

21 fees associated with transfer of the property. 

22 (c) ELIGIBILITY.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to a major dis24 aster declared by the President under section 408 of 

25 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer26 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), an indiVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:55 Jun 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2914.IH H2914

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1 vidual or household described in this subsection is an 

2 individual or household who— 

3 (A) is occupying an otherwise unused or 

4 uninhabited property located in the area for 

5 which the major disaster was declared but does 

6 not have documented ownership rights to and is 

7 not renting the property; or 

8 (B) is or was residing in an area for which 

9 a major disaster has been declared by the Presi10 dent under section 408 of the Robert T. Staf11 ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance 

12 Act (42 U.S.C. 5170), but who does not have 

13 documentation to that effect, including renter 

14 households without written or formal leases, 

15 unsheltered individuals or persons experiencing 

16 homelessness, households residing in any por17 tion of any housing accommodation or property 

18 upon which a housing accommodation is lo19 cated, including any living quarters, boarding20 house, bunkhouse, maintenance-of-way car, mo21 bile home, manufactured home, or travel trailer. 

22 (2) CONSIDERATION.—In making a determina23 tion for purposes of this Act, the Administrator shall 

24 consider a wide range of evidence. 

25 (d) ALTERNATIVE FORMS OF EVIDENCE.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—In determining if an indi2 vidual or household is eligible for assistance under 

3 this Act, the Administrator shall accept a declarative 

4 statement or the presentation of one of alternative 

5 evidence, including the following: 

6 (A) A utility (gas, electric, or water) bill 

7 with the name and address of the individual. 

8 (B) A merchant’s statement (credit card, 

9 delivery notice, or first class mail) with the 

10 name and address of the individual. 

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

12 name and address of the individual. 

13 (D) A current driver’s license or State14 issued identification card of the individual. 

15 (E) The deed or title for the property. 

16 (F) A mortgage payment booklet or other 

17 mortgage documents. 

18 (G) Property title of mobile home certifi19 cate of title. 

20 (H) Real estate property tax receipts. 

21 (I) A school registration containing the ad22 dress of self, child, or children. 

23 (J) A will and testament with the name 

24 and address of the individual. 


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1 (K) Medical records that list the name and 

2 address of the individual. 

3 (L) Charitable donation receipts that list 

4 the name and address of the individual. 

5 (M) Any other documentation, certifica6 tion, identification, or proof of occupancy or 

7 ownership not included on this list that can rea8 sonably link the individual requesting assistance 

9 to the damaged property. 

10 SEC. 4. DECLARATIVE STATEMENT. 

11 (a) DEVELOPMENT OF DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 

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

13 the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator 

14 shall create and distribute where necessary a form 

15 statement that applicants can use to self-certify 

16 their eligibility for assistance under this Act. 

17 (2) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The Ad18 ministrator may not require declarative statements 

19 developed and implemented under this Act to be no20 tarized. 

21 (3) EVIDENCE SUPPORTING DECLARATIVE

22 STATEMENTS.—All declarative statements developed 

23 and implemented under this Act shall not require 

24 evidence beyond the scope of section 3(d). 


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1 (b) EXEMPTIONS.—All declarative statements devel2 oped and implemented pursuant to this Act are exempted 

3 from publication notice, public comment periods, and 

4 agency information collection review and approval by the 

5 Office of Management and Budget required by the Paper6 work Reduction Act (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.). 

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

8 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall pro9 vide written notification and guidance to employees of the 

10 Agency regarding the requirements of this Act. 

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

12 date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator shall 

13 make declarative statements available in Spanish and 

14 English at all active Disaster Recovery Centers and pub15 lish in English, Spanish, and any other locally predomi16 nant languages on the Agency’s website and social media 

17 the declarative statement and instructions on how appli18 cants can reopen or seek further appeal of relevant deter19 minations. 

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

21 provided under this Act pursuant to any major disaster 

22 declared by the President under section 408 of the Robert 

23 T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 

24 (42 U.S.C. 5170) occurring in 2018 or 2017, the Adminis25 trator shall provide an applicant not fewer than 180 days 


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1 to submit the declarative statement to reopen or appeal 

2 a case after such applicant has received notice of the right 

3 to do so. 

4 SEC. 5. FEMA DHAP AGREEMENTS. 

5 (a) 2017 AND 2018 DISASTERS.—Not later than 60 

6 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Adminis7 trator shall enter into an interagency agreement or agree8 ments with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Develop9 ment as may be necessary to ensure the implementation 

10 of a Disaster Housing Assistance Program under section 

11 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer12 gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) to provide tem13 porary rental assistance to individuals and households dis14 placed from their residences by any major disaster de15 clared by the President under such section 408 during 

16 2017 and 2018 (including Hurricane Maria), including in17 dividuals and households eligible for such assistance under 

18 section 3(a) of this Act. 

19 (b) FUTURE DISASTERS.—In the case of any major 

20 disaster declared by the President under section 408 of 

21 the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As22 sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) on or after the date of en23 actment of this Act, not later than 60 days after a declara24 tion of such major disaster, the Administrator and the 

25 Secretary of Housing and Urban Development shall enVerDate Sep 11 2014 05:55 Jun 06, 2019 Jkt 089200 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H2914.IH H2914

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1 gage in consultations regarding the implementation of a 

2 Disaster Housing Assistance Program under section 408 

3 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 

4 Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170) to provide temporary 

5 rental assistance to individuals and households displaced 

6 from their residences by such major disaster, including in7 dividuals and households eligible for such assistance under 

8 section 3(a) of this Act. 

Æ 


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