Senator George Helmy Co-Sponsors Legislation to Help Victims of Natural Disasters

Bill would help survivors access housing assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator George Helmy (D-NJ) announced today he is co-sponsoring legislation to help survivors of natural disasters find housing. The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would make the process of applying for FEMA assistance easier for property owners who lost their homes due to a natural disaster.

“Losing your home during a natural disaster causes unimaginable grief for those affected,” said Senator Helmy. “The federal government has a duty to provide for those who need assistance in these times of need and stress. Sadly, the people of New Jersey know this feeling all too well, dealing with the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, and catastrophic flooding and landslides from the remnants of multiple hurricanes. I want to thank my colleagues in the Senate and the House for reintroducing this important bill as we near the end of another devastating hurricane season.”

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would do the following:

• Allow for disaster relief funds to be used to acquire property titles in regions where a natural disaster is declared by the President.
• Require FEMA to consider additional forms of evidence when determining assistance eligibility, including a utility bill, merchant statement, pay stub, current driver’s license or state-issued ID, property title or mobile home certificate of title, property tax receipt, school registration, a will and testament, a death certificate that established automatic transfer of ownership, medical records, a charitable donation receipt, or any other documentation, certification, identification, or proof of occupancy or ownership not included on this list that can reasonably link the individual requesting assistance to the applicable property.
• Require FEMA to create a declarative statement form, which would allow a disaster relief applicant to self-certify eligibility for assistance.
• Allow individuals who have previously been denied assistance due to restrictive proof-of-ownership requirements to reopen cases and use new, expanded documentation to become eligible for assistance (applies to disasters declared after January 1, 2017).
• Allow disaster relief funds to be used for repairs, not just rebuilding homes that have been rendered completely uninhabitable.
• Require FEMA and HUD to engage in consultations regarding the implementation of a DHAP, or a similar joint program, within 60 days of a disaster declaration.