I 
117TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5043 
To provide for a moratorium on evictions from and foreclosures on residences 
during a major disaster or emergency, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 17, 2021 
Mrs. DEMINGS (for herself and Mr. LAWSON of Florida) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To provide for a moratorium on evictions from and fore-
closures on residences during a major disaster or emer-
gency, 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 ‘‘Federal Disaster 
Housing Stability Act of 2021’’. 
SEC. 2. EVICTION MORATORIUM. 
(a) MORATORIUM.—In the case of any disaster, the 
lessor of a covered dwelling that is located within the dis-
aster area with respect to such disaster may not, during 
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the eviction moratorium period with respect to such 
area— 
(1) make, or cause to be made, any filing with 
the court of jurisdiction to initiate a legal action to 
recover possession of the covered dwelling from the 
tenant for nonpayment of rent or other fees or 
charges; 
(2) charge fees, penalties, or other charges to 
the tenant related to such nonpayment of rent; 
(3) increase the amount charged for rental of 
the dwelling unit, including by recouping such in-
creased rent through fees or charges after the con-
clusion of such period; 
(4) in any manner prevent the tenant of the 
dwelling unit, if such tenant has temporarily relo-
cated, from returning to the dwelling unit and re-es-
tablishing occupancy or require the tenant to be re- 
screened to determine any eligibility for such occu-
pancy; or 
(5) otherwise terminate a lease or fail to renew 
a lease. 
(b) NOTICE TO VACATE.—In the case of any disaster, 
the lessor of a covered dwelling unit that is located within 
the disaster area with respect to such disaster may not— 
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(1) require the tenant to vacate the covered 
dwelling unit before the date that is 30 days after 
the date on which the lessor provides the tenant with 
a notice to vacate; and 
(2) issue a notice to vacate under paragraph (1) 
until after the expiration of the eviction moratorium 
period with respect to such area. 
(c) NOTICE OF ASSISTANCE.—Each lessor of a cov-
ered dwelling unit that is located within a disaster area 
with respect to a disaster shall notify the lessee of such 
unit— 
(1) as soon as possible after the declaration of 
the disaster of— 
(A) the damage assessment status of the 
dwelling unit, with respect to disaster assist-
ance from the Federal Emergency Management 
Agency and the Small Business Administration; 
(B) disaster assistance from the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency and the Small 
Business Administration for which the lessee 
may be eligible, with respect to such dwelling 
unit; and 
(C) disaster assistance from the Federal 
Emergency Management Agency and the Small 
Business Administration for which the lessor 
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may be eligible, with respect to such dwelling 
unit; and 
(2) in the case of assistance referred to in para-
graph (1)(C) applied for by the lessor— 
(A) that such assistance has been applied 
for, upon such application; and 
(B) that such assistance has been received, 
upon such receipt. 
SEC. 3. FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM. 
Except with respect to a vacant or abandoned prop-
erty, in the case of any disaster, a servicer of a Federally 
backed mortgage loan on a property located within the dis-
aster area with respect to such disaster may not, during 
the foreclosure moratorium period with respect to such 
area, initiate any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure proc-
ess, move for a foreclosure judgment or order of sale, or 
execute a foreclosure-related eviction or foreclosure sale. 
SEC. 4. DEFINITIONS. 
For purposes of this Act, the following definitions 
shall apply: 
(1) COVERED DWELLING.—The term ‘‘covered 
dwelling’’ means a dwelling that is occupied by a 
tenant— 
(A) pursuant to a residential lease; or 
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(B) without a lease or with a lease ter-
minable under State law; and 
(2) DISASTER.—The term ‘‘disaster’’ means— 
(A) any national emergency declared by 
the President under the National Emergencies 
Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.); or 
(B) any major disaster or emergency de-
clared by the President under the Robert T. 
Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 4121 et seq.). 
(3) DISASTER AREA.—The term ‘‘disaster area’’ 
means, with respect to a disaster, any area that at 
any time is subject to the declaration of such dis-
aster. 
(4) DWELLING.—The term ‘‘dwelling’’— 
(A) has the meaning given the term in sec-
tion 802 of the Fair Housing Act (42 U.S.C. 
3602); and 
(B) includes houses and dwellings de-
scribed in section 803(b) of such Act (42 
U.S.C. 3603(b)). 
(5) EVICTION MORATORIUM PERIOD.—The term 
‘‘eviction moratorium period’’ means, with respect to 
a disaster area, the 90-day period that begins 
upon— 
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(A) in the case of a covered dwelling unit 
that is eligible for assistance under the Robert 
T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency As-
sistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.) or dis-
aster loan assistance from the Small Business 
Administration, with respect to such disaster, 
the sooner of— 
(i) receipt by the owner of the dwell-
ing unit of all or part of such assistance; 
or 
(ii) the expiration of the period of eli-
gibility for assistance under such Act for 
such dwelling unit with respect to such dis-
aster; or 
(B) in the case of a covered dwelling unit 
that is not eligible for assistance referred to in 
subparagraph (A) with respect to such disaster, 
the declaration of the disaster for which such 
declaration was made. 
(6) FEDERALLY BACKED MORTGAGE LOAN.— 
The term ‘‘Federally backed mortgage loan’’ in-
cludes any loan (other than temporary financing 
such as a construction loan) that— 
(A) is secured by a first or subordinate lien 
on residential real property (including indi-
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