FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act
The FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act would amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to ensure that insurance payments are not treated as a duplication of benefits when determining eligibility for temporary housing assistance. Specifically, the bill adds a new provision stating that, for temporary housing assistance under Section 408(c)(1), the President may not consider insurance as a duplication of benefits for purposes of applying the duplicative benefits rules in Section 312. In practical terms, this means that having insurance coverage should not automatically disqualify or reduce a disaster survivor’s eligibility for temporary housing assistance. This change aims to make it easier for individuals affected by disasters to receive temporary housing support even if they also have insurance coverage that would otherwise be counted against their federal aid under duplication-of-benefits rules.
Key Points
- 1Clarifies duplication-of-benefits rule: Insurance may not be treated as a duplication of benefits when assessing eligibility for temporary housing assistance under Section 408(c)(1).
- 2Specific statutory amendment: Adds a new subparagraph (C) at the end of Section 408(c)(1) to prohibit considering insurance as duplication for applying Section 312.
- 3Scope of the change: Applies only to temporary housing assistance under the Stafford Act; does not redefine other forms of assistance or broader duplication rules outside this context.
- 4Legislative action: The bill is titled the FEMA Temporary Housing Assistance Improvement Act and was introduced in the House (H.R. 2535) on April 1, 2025, sponsored by Rep. Brownley (and Rep. Chu) and referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
- 5Purpose and potential impact: Designed to prevent insurance coverage from blocking access to temporary housing aid after a disaster, potentially increasing federal outlays for temporary housing in eligible cases.