I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 8142 
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 
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 
Mrs. DEMINGS (for herself, Mrs. HAYES, Ms. NORTON, Mr. LAWSON of Flor-
ida, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, and Mr. THOMPSON 
of Mississippi) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on 
Education and Labor, for a period to be subsequently determined by the 
Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within 
the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
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 2020’’. 
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SEC. 2. 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 moratorium period with respect to such area, initiate 
any judicial or non-judicial foreclosure process, move for 
a foreclosure judgment or order of sale, or execute a fore-
closure-related eviction or foreclosure sale. 
SEC. 3. 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 
the 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; or 
(2) charge fees, penalties, or other charges to 
the tenant related to such nonpayment of rent. 
(b) NOTICE.—In the case of any disaster, the lessor 
of a covered dwelling unit that is located within the dis-
aster area with respect to such disaster— 
(1) may not require the tenant to vacate the 
covered dwelling unit before the date that is 30 days 
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after the date on which the lessor provides the ten-
ant with a notice to vacate; and 
(2) may not issue a notice to vacate under 
paragraph (1) until after the expiration of the mora-
torium period with respect to such area. 
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 
(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 
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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) 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-
vidual units of condominiums and cooperatives) 
designed principally for the occupancy of from 
1 to 4 families, including any such secured 
loan, the proceeds of which are used to prepay 
or pay off an existing loan secured by the same 
property; and 
(B) is made in whole or in part, or in-
sured, guaranteed, supplemented, or assisted in 
any way, by any officer or agency of the Fed-
eral Government or under or in connection with 
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respect to such disaster is located to determine the first 
time after the beginning of the moratorium period with 
respect to any such disaster area that the unemployment 
rate for the State has been less than 8.5 percent for each 
of 2 consecutive calendar months, each such month com-
mencing after the beginning of the moratorium period. 
(b) CERTIFICATION.—In the case of a disaster, the 
Secretary of Labor shall, upon making a determination 
that the unemployment rate for a State, as determined 
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, has been less than 8.5 
percent for each of 2 consecutive calendar months, each 
such month commencing after the beginning of the mora-
torium period with respect to a disaster area located with-
in such State, immediately cause to be published in the 
Federal Register a certification of such unemployment 
rate for such months for such State for purposes of deter-
mining the termination of the moratorium period for such 
disaster area. 
SEC. 6. APPLICABILITY. 
This Act shall apply with respect to any disaster for 
which the declaration of the disaster is in effect on the 
date of the enactment of this Act and any disaster for 
which such declaration is made after such date of enact-
ment. 
Æ 
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