I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 7385 
To direct the President to establish pilot programs to provide long-term 
rental housing assistance and case management services after certain 
major disasters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 20, 2018 
Ms. TITUS (for herself and Ms. PLASKETT) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure 
A BILL 
To direct the President to establish pilot programs to provide 
long-term rental housing assistance and case manage-
ment services after certain major disasters, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Disaster Housing As-
sistance Program Accountability Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. AUTHORIZATION OF DISASTER HOUSING ASSIST-
ANCE PILOT PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Pursuant to the authority under, 
and meeting the requirements of, sections 408 and 426 
of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174, 5189d), the President, 
acting through the Administrator, shall establish at least 
3 pilot programs, to be administered by an appropriate 
Federal agency, to provide for long-term rental housing 
assistance and case management services to eligible fami-
lies affected by a covered disaster in a State. 
(b) CONSULTATION.—In establishing a pilot program 
under this section, the Administrator shall consult with 
the Governor of the State in which the disaster occurred. 
(c) LIMITATION.—In establishing a pilot program 
under this section, the Administrator shall ensure that 
multiple pilot programs are not established in any 1 State. 
(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—The Administrator shall— 
(1) ensure that each pilot program established 
under subsection (a) assists eligible families with 
transitioning toward self-sufficiency through case 
management services provided in a cost-effective 
manner; and 
(2) determine whether the cost of each pilot 
program and the services provided under any such 
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pilot program are competitive with other housing op-
tions provided by the Administrator. 
(e) EXTENT OF SERVICES.—The Administrator, in 
consultation with other Federal agencies with appropriate 
expertise, shall determine the extent of case management 
services required for an eligible family to obtain self-suffi-
ciency. 
(f) TERMINATION.—The Administrator may termi-
nate each pilot program established under subsection (a) 
at any time the Administrator considers appropriate. 
(g) INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT.—To carry out each 
pilot program, the Administrator and a relevant Federal 
agency shall enter into an interagency agreement that, at 
a minimum— 
(1) includes policies, procedures, and framework 
for— 
(A) program management; 
(B) financial management; and 
(C) oversight; 
(2) establishes requirements for cost and pro-
gram effectiveness data to be maintained and re-
ported to the Administrator on a regular basis; and 
(3) identifies the type and amount of adminis-
trative fees that will be charged under each pilot 
program. 
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(h) COST-EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRAM.— 
(1) PROGRAM
COMPARISON
DATA.—The Fed-
eral agency implementing the pilot program estab-
lished in subsection (a) shall provide the Adminis-
trator with such data as may be necessary for the 
Administrator to conduct a comparison between each 
pilot program established under subsection (a) and 
other temporary housing options provided by the Ad-
ministrator under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5121 et seq.). 
(2) CASE
MANAGEMENT
DATA.—The Federal 
agency implementing the pilot program established 
in subsection (a) shall provide the Administrator 
with such data as may be necessary to determine the 
extent of case management services required and 
provided under each program and the effectiveness 
of such services in transitioning eligible families to-
ward self-sufficiency. 
(3) FEES.—The Administrator shall ensure 
that— 
(A) the administrative fees of each pilot 
program are reasonable compared to the cost of 
temporary housing assistance provided to eligi-
ble families; 
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(B) case management services fees are rea-
sonable compared to the cost of the case man-
agement services provided to eligible families; 
and 
(C) administrative fees and case manage-
ment services fees do not exceed the amounts 
provided under the Interagency Agreement exe-
cuted on March 25, 2013, to implement Dis-
aster Housing Assistance Program–Sandy. 
(i) ANALYSIS AND REPORT.— 
(1) ANALYSIS.—After termination of a pilot 
program, the Administrator shall conduct an anal-
ysis comparing the costs, benefits, and effectiveness 
of each pilot program, including any case manage-
ment services provided, with other temporary hous-
ing options provided by the Administrator under the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency 
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.). 
(2) REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after 
the Administrator terminates a pilot program, the 
Administrator shall submit to the Committee on 
Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Homeland 
Security and Government Affairs of the Senate a re-
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port that contains the analysis required under para-
graph (1). 
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
(1) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency. 
(2) COVERED DISASTER.—The term ‘‘covered 
disaster’’ means a major disaster declared by the 
President under section 401 of the Robert T. Staf-
ford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act 
(42 U.S.C. 5170)— 
(A) during 2017 in the territories of the 
United States; or 
(B) during 2018 in a State. 
(3) ELIGIBLE
FAMILIES.—The term ‘‘eligible 
families’’ means families that the Administrator de-
termines are eligible for housing assistance under 
section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) 
and case management services under section 426 of 
such Act. 
(4) FAMILIES.—The term ‘‘families’’ has the 
meaning given such term in section 3(b)(3)(B) of 
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the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 
1437a). 
(5) GOVERNOR; STATE.—The terms ‘‘Governor’’ 
and ‘‘State’’ have the meanings given such terms in 
section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122). 
Æ 
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