Disaster Housing Flexibility Act of 2025

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3252 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 3252

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
 Assistance Act to provide for an alternative block grant program for
  funding temporary housing in response to a major disaster, and for
                            other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 7, 2025

 Mr. Moskowitz (for himself and Mr. Burchett) introduced the following
    bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and
                             Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

     To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
 Assistance Act to provide for an alternative block grant program for
  funding temporary housing in response to a major disaster, and for
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Disaster Housing Flexibility Act of
2025''.

SEC. 2. ALTERNATIVE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM.

    Title IV of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5170 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end
the following:

``SEC. 431. ALTERNATIVE BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM FOR TEMPORARY HOUSING
              ASSISTANCE.

    ``(a) Establishment.--The President, acting through the
Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, shall
establish an alternative block grant program for providing funds for
temporary housing assistance for individuals and households in the
event of a major disaster declared by the President under this title.
    ``(b) Assessment of Cost of Temporary Housing Assistance.--
            ``(1) Assessment required.--In the event of a major
        disaster described in subsection (a), the Administrator shall
        assess the cost of providing temporary housing assistance in
        each impacted State in which individuals and households would
        otherwise eligible for temporary housing assistance, including
        reasonable administrative expenses incurred by the State
        necessary to manage and distribute a block grant under this
        section.
            ``(2) Consultation.--In making an assessment under
        paragraph (1), the Administrator shall consult with each
        applicable State to ensure that the amount of the assessment
        reflects a reasonable estimate of the amount necessary to
        provide for temporary housing assistance in an amount that
        would otherwise be provided under--
                    ``(A) section 408(c); or
                    ``(B) other housing assistance programs identified
                as needed by the State.
    ``(c) Program Requirements.--In carrying out the program under this
section, the President shall--
            ``(1) establish a process for a State to elect to apply for
        a block under this section grant in lieu of the eligibility of
        individuals and households to apply for assistance under
        section 408(c); and
            ``(2) ensure that a State may request a single adjustment
        to the amount provided in such block grant if the initial
        amount is insufficient to provide individuals and households
        assistance equivalent to the assistance otherwise provided
        under such section.
    ``(d) Application.--To be eligible for a block grant under this
section, a State shall submit to the President an application in such
manner and containing such information as the President may require.
    ``(e) Applicability.--In any case in which a State receives a block
grant under this section, an individual or household located in the
area covered by a disaster declaration made by the President under
section 401 and covered by such grant shall not be eligible for
temporary housing assistance under section 408(c).
    ``(f) Remaining Funds.--Any funds provided under this section that
remain after the completion of recovery activities for which such funds
are provided may be used for preparedness or mitigation activities in
the State that are eligible for assistance under this Act.
    ``(g) Reports.--
            ``(1) State reports.--A State that receives a block grant
        under this section shall submit to the Administrator--
                    ``(A) not later than 120 days after the date on
                which such grant was received, an initial disbursement
                plan outlining anticipated uses of funds;
                    ``(B) not later than 1 year after the submission of
                the report under subparagraph (A), and annually
                thereafter until all funds provided under the grant are
                expended, a report containing--
                            ``(i) a description of each individual or
                        household for which funds were spent;
                            ``(ii) in any case in which the State has
                        remaining funds described under subsection (f),
                        the proposed use of such funds; and
                            ``(iii) an assessment of the impact and
                        effectiveness of any expenditures of such
                        funds; and
                    ``(C) not later than 180 days after all funds
                provided under the grant have been expended, a final
                report containing--
                            ``(i) a description of all assistance
                        provided with such funds; and
                            ``(ii) an analysis of the overall
                        effectiveness of the assistance provided under
                        such grant.
            ``(2) Report to congress.--Not later than 12 months after
        the date of enactment of this section, and annually thereafter,
        the Administrator shall submit to Congress a report on the
        implementation of the program established under this section
        that includes--
                    ``(A) a list of States that have elected to
                participate in such program;
                    ``(B) a description of how the Administrator has
                implemented the program, including administrative
                procedures and timelines;
                    ``(C) an assessment of any challenges and barriers
                to State participation and program implementation;
                    ``(D) an evaluation of the accuracy and timeliness
                of cost estimates used to determine grant amounts;
                    ``(E) the average length of time required to make
                cost estimates and disburse grant funds following a
                declaration of a major disaster;
                    ``(F) a review of the administrative impact on the
                Administration and participating States, including
                staffing and oversight capacity; and
                    ``(G) recommendations for statutory, regulatory, or
                administrative changes needed to--
                            ``(i) improve delivery under such program;
                            ``(ii) support administration of the
                        program; or
                            ``(iii) enhance effectiveness of the
                        program.
    ``(h) Temporary Housing Assistance Defined.--The term `temporary
housing assistance' means any assistance provided to individuals and
households under section 408(c).''.
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