Community Empowerment for Mitigated Properties Act of 2017

To direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue guidance regarding implementation of certain buy-outs or the acquisition of property for open space as a flood mitigation measure, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Community Empowerment for Mitigated Properties Act of 2017 2. Guidance on hazard mitigation assistance (a) In general Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall issue guidance regarding a buy-out or 42 U.S.C. 5170c (1) a process by which the State hazard mitigation officer appointed for such a buy-out or an buy-out or buy-out or (A) the location of the buy-out or (B) the State-local assistance agreement for the hazard mitigation grant program; (C) a description of the buy-out or (D) a copy of the model (2) recommendations for entering into and implementing a memorandum of understanding between units of local government and covered entities that includes provisions to allow an affected unit of local government notified under paragraph (1) to— (A) use and maintain the open space created by such a project, consistent with section 404 (including related regulations, standards, and guidance) and (B) maintain the open space pursuant to standards exceeding any local government standards defined in the agreement with the Administrator described under paragraph (1). (b) Definitions In this section: (1) Affected unit of local government The term affected unit of local government 42 U.S.C. 5122 location of a buy-out or property subject to the (2) Covered entity The term covered entity (A) the grantee or subgrantee receiving assistance for an open space project described in subsection (a); (B) the State in which such project is located; and (C) the applicable State hazard mitigation officer; and (D) the applicable regional administrator. (C) the applicable Regional Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Amend the title so as to read: A bill to direct the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency to issue guidance regarding the acquisition of property for open space as a flood mitigation measure, and for other purposes. November 21, 2017 Reported with amendments, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed

Summary: Community Empowerment for Mitigated Properties Act of 2017 (Sec. 2) This bill directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue guidance regarding the acquisition of property for open space as a hazard mitigation measure under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, which shall include: a process by which the state hazard mitigation officer appointed for such acquisition shall, within 60 days after an applicant for assistance enters into the acquisition agreement, provide written notification to each affected local government that includes the location and a description of the acquisition, the state-local assistance agreement for the hazard mitigation grant program, and a copy of the deed restriction; and recommendations for entering into and implementing a memorandum of understanding between local governments and covered entities that allows an affected local government to use and maintain the open space created by such a project, consistent with such Act and all adjoining property and subject to the notification of the adjoining property, so long as the maintenance cost is borne by the local government, and to maintain the open space pursuant to standards exceeding any local government standards defined in the agreement with FEMA. A "covered entity" includes the grantee or subgrantee receiving assistance for an open space project, the state in which such project is located, and the applicable regional administrator of FEMA.