The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act expands eligibility for federal disaster assistance to homeowners who lack traditional proof of property ownership. Currently, disaster victims must have documented ownership rights to receive FEMA housing assistance, but this bill allows survivors to claim "constructive ownership" based on alternative evidence such as mortgage documents, property tax receipts, wills, or other documentation that reasonably links them to the property. The bill also makes FEMA housing assistance available for homes that are damaged by major disasters rather than only those rendered completely uninhabitable, and it allows grants as a more cost-effective alternative to temporary housing in appropriate cases. These changes apply to all new applications and appropriations made after the bill is enacted. The legislation aims to ensure that disaster survivors without complete paperwork—including renters with informal arrangements, heirs, and others in complex property situations—can still access critical federal housing assistance following major disasters.
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