I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 426 
To make available necessary disaster assistance for families affected by major 
disasters, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 15, 2025 
Mr. ESPAILLAT (for himself and Mrs. KIM) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastruc-
ture, and in addition to the Committee on the Budget, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
A BILL 
To make available necessary disaster assistance for families 
affected by 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 ‘‘Housing Survivors of 
Major Disasters Act’’. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
In this Act: 
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(1) FEMA.—The term ‘‘FEMA’’ means the 
Federal Emergency Management Agency. 
(2) ADMINISTRATOR.—The term ‘‘Adminis-
trator’’ means the Administrator of FEMA. 
SEC. 3. ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF DISASTER ASSIST-
ANCE. 
(a) EVIDENCE.— 
(1) CONSIDERATION.—Where an individual or 
household does not have documented ownership 
rights in their predisaster primary residence, in 
making a determination to provide assistance pursu-
ant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of section 408(c) of 
the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emer-
gency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)), the Presi-
dent shall consider an individual or household claim 
to having constructive ownership where evidence 
supports that it is more likely than not the indi-
vidual or household has such ownership. 
(2) FORMS
OF
EVIDENCE.—In determining 
whether it is more likely than not that an individual 
or household has constructive ownership under para-
graph (1), the Administrator shall consider all evi-
dence provided by an individual or household, includ-
ing a digital or physical copy of the following: 
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(A) The deed or title for the applicable 
property. 
(B) A mortgage payment booklet or an-
other mortgage document. 
(C) Property title of mobile home certifi-
cate of title. 
(D) A real estate property tax receipt. 
(E) A will and testament with the name 
and address of the individual that conveys the 
individual is the owner. 
(F) In a State that does not require a will 
and testament for the transfer of immovable 
property, a death certificate and birth certifi-
cate that establishes an automatic transfer of 
legal ownership. 
(G) Homeowners insurance documentation. 
(H) Home Purchase Contracts, including, 
but not limited to, Bill of Sale, Bond for Title, 
Land Installment Contracts. 
(I) Receipts of major repairs or mainte-
nance dated within five years prior to the dis-
aster. 
(J) Court Documents. 
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(K) Letter prepared after the disaster 
from a mobile home park owner or manager or 
public office that meets FEMA requirements. 
(L) Notice of Federal benefits. 
(M) Student loan documentation. 
(N) Any other documentation, certification, 
identification, or proof of occupancy or owner-
ship not included on this list that can reason-
ably link the individual requesting assistance to 
the applicable property, as determined by the 
President. 
(3) DECLARATIVE STATEMENT.— 
(A) IN GENERAL.—Where evidence of con-
structive ownership is not sufficient, the Admin-
istrator may require the individual or household 
to provide a declarative statement, signed under 
penalty of perjury, that describes why the indi-
vidual or household is the constructive owner of 
the property. 
(B) PROHIBITION OF NOTARIZATION.—The 
Administrator may not require notarization of a 
declarative statement submitted under this 
paragraph. 
(b) DEFINITION OF CONSTRUCTIVE OWNERSHIP.— 
In this section, the term ‘‘constructive ownership’’ means 
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that an individual’s or household’s residence is owner-oc-
cupied, as determined by the Administrator, the purposes 
of section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief 
and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174). 
(c) APPLICABILITY.—This section shall apply to 
funds appropriated on or after the date of enactment of 
this Act. 
SEC. 4. REPAIR AND REBUILDING. 
(a) HOUSING ASSISTANCE.—Section 408(b)(1) of the 
Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assist-
ance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(b)(1)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘rendered uninhabitable’’ and 
inserting ‘‘damaged by a major disaster’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘uninhabitable, as a result of 
damage caused by a major disaster’’ and inserting 
‘‘damaged by a major disaster’’. 
(b) TYPES
OF
HOUSING
ASSISTANCE.—Section 
408(c)(4) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and 
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended 
by striking ‘‘in cases in which’’ and all that follows 
through the end of the paragraph and inserting ‘‘if the 
President determines such assistance is a cost effective al-
ternative to other housing solutions, including the costs 
associated with temporary housing provided under this 
section.’’. 
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(c) PROVISION OF GRANTS AS PILOT PROGRAM.— 
Section 408(f)(3)(J) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 
5174(f)(3)(J)) is amended— 
(1) in clause (ii) by striking ‘‘Not later than 2 
years after the date of enactment of this paragraph, 
the Administrator’’ and inserting ‘‘The Adminis-
trator’’; and 
(2) in clause (iii)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘2 years after the date of 
enactment of this paragraph or’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, whichever occurs soon-
er’’. 
(d) APPLICABILITY.—This section and the amend-
ments made by this section shall only apply to— 
(1) applications received on or after the date of 
enactment of this Act; and 
(2) amounts appropriated on or after the date 
of enactment of this Act. 
SEC. 5. DETERMINATION OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS. 
The budgetary effects of this Act, for the purpose of 
complying with the Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act of 2010, 
shall be determined by reference to the latest statement 
titled ‘‘Budgetary Effects of PAYGO Legislation’’ for this 
Act, submitted for printing in the Congressional Record 
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by the Chairman of the House Budget Committee, pro-
vided that such statement has been submitted prior to the 
vote on passage. 
Æ 
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