[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 834 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 834
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to provide assistance for common interest communities,
condominiums, and housing cooperatives damaged by a major disaster, and
for other purposes.
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 31, 2025
Mr. Rouzer (for himself, Mr. Torres of New York, Mr. Nadler, and Ms.
Pettersen) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
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A BILL
To amend the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act to provide assistance for common interest communities,
condominiums, and housing cooperatives damaged by 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 Assistance Fairness Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Section 102 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5122) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``(13) Residential common interest community.--The term
`residential common interest community' means any nonprofit
mandatory membership organization comprising owners of real
estate described in a declaration or created pursuant to a
covenant or other applicable law with respect to which a
person, by virtue of the person's ownership of a unit, is
obligated to pay for a share of real estate taxes, insurance
premiums, maintenance, or improvement of, or services or other
expenses related to, common elements, other units, or any other
real estate other than that unit described in the declaration.
``(14) Condominium.--The term `condominium' means a multi-
unit housing project in which each dwelling unit is separately
owned, and the remaining portions of the real estate are
designated for common ownership solely by the owners of those
units, each owner having an undivided interest in the common
elements, and which is represented by a condominium association
consisting exclusively of all the unit owners in the project,
which is, or will be responsible for the operation,
administration, and management of the project.
``(15) Housing cooperative.--The term `housing cooperative'
means a multi-unit housing entity in which each dwelling unit
is subject to separate use and possession by 1 or more
cooperative members whose interest in such unit, and in any
undivided assets of the cooperative association that are
appurtenant to such unit, is evidenced by a membership or share
interest in a cooperative association and a lease or other
document of title or possession granted by such cooperative as
the owner of all cooperative property.
``(16) Manufactured housing community.--The term
`manufactured housing community' means a residential
development or neighborhood specifically designed for the
placement of manufactured homes, as that term is defined in 24
C.F.R. 3280.02, modular homes, prefabricated homes, or any
combination of each.''.
SEC. 3. REMOVAL OF DEBRIS RESULTING FROM A MAJOR DISASTER IN
RESIDENTIAL COMMON INTEREST COMMUNITIES.
Section 407 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5173) is amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (d) and (e) as subsections
(e) and (f); and
(2) by inserting after subsection (c) the following:
``(d) Rules Relating to Residential Common Interest Communities.--
The President shall issue rules which provide that removal of debris or
wreckage from real estate owned by a residential common interest
community, condominium entity, manufactured housing community, or
housing cooperative resulting from a major disaster is in the public
interest when a State or local government determines in writing such
debris or wreckage constitutes a threat to life, to public health or
safety, or to the economic recovery of the residential common interest
community.''.
SEC. 4. CONDOMINIUMS, MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMMUNITIES, AND HOUSING
COOPERATIVES DAMAGED BY A MAJOR DISASTER.
Section 408(c)(2)(A) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and
Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174(c)(2)(A)) is amended--
(1) in clause (i) by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii); and
(3) by adding after clause (i) the following:
``(ii) the repair of essential common
elements of a condominium, manufactured housing
community, or housing cooperative (such as a
roof, exterior wall, heating and cooling
equipment, elevator, stairwell, utility access,
plumbing, and electricity) provided an
individual's or household's pro rata share of
essential common element repair costs are
satisfactorily documented; and''.
SEC. 5. APPLICABILITY.
The amendments made by this Act shall apply to a major disaster or
emergency declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford
Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.)
on or after the date of enactment of this Act.
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