Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funding for natural disaster recovery assistance.

Highlights:

• Authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide assistance to states (including Puerto Rico), units of local government, and Indian tribes for necessary expenses related to disaster relief, resiliency, long-term recovery, restoration of infrastructure and housing, mitigation, and economic revitalization in the most impacted and distressed areas resulting from a major disaster declared pursuant to the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Act (Sec. 123).

• Requires the HUD Secretary to coordinate with other agencies to obtain data on recovery needs, including the Administrators of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration (Sec. 123).

• Requires the HUD Secretary to ensure that all grant agreements necessary for the prompt disbursement of funds allocated to a grantee are executed within 60 days of approval of the grantee’s plan (Sec. 123).

• Prohibits a state, unit of local government, or Indian tribe receiving a grant under this act from using less than 7 percent or more than 10 percent of the grant for administrative costs, and requires documentation of the use of funds for such purpose (Sec. 123).

• Requires the HUD Secretary to share with the FEMA Administrator and make publicly available all data collected, possessed, or analyzed during the course of a disaster recovery for which assistance is provided, including (Sec. 123):

• All data on damage caused by the disaster;

• Information on how any federal assistance provided in connection with the disaster is expended; and

• Information regarding the effect of the disaster on education, transportation capabilities and dependence, housing needs, health care capacity, and displacement of persons.

• Requires a major disaster grantee to submit a plan to the HUD Secretary for approval, detailing the proposed use of all funds before the Secretary obligates any of such funds, and shall include at a minimum (Sec. 123):

• Criteria for eligibility for each proposed use of funds, including eligibility limits on income and geography, and a description of how each proposed use of such funds will comply with all civil rights and fair housing laws, and it how will address unmet needs relating to disaster relief in the most impacted and distressed areas, including assistance to impacted households experiencing homelessness;

• An agreement to share data with federal agencies and other providers of disaster relief;

• Identification of officials and offices responsible for administering such funds, and the processes and procedures for identifying and recovering duplicate benefits; and

• A plan for ensuring compliance with the Fair Housing Act, which may include providing for partnerships with local fair housing organizations.

• Requires the HUD Secretary to disapprove a grantee’s plan or substantial amendment to a plan if (Sec. 123):

• The plan or substantial amendment does not meet the approval criteria;

• Based on damage and unmet needs assessments of the HUD Secretary and FEMA, the plan or amendment does not address equitable allocation of resources:

• Between infrastructure and housing activities; and

• Between homeowners, renters, and persons experiencing homelessness;

• The plan or amendment does not provide an adequate plan for ensuring that funding is used in compliance with the Fair Housing Act;

• The plan or amendment does not prioritize the one-for-one replacement of damaged dwelling units in public housing, in projects receiving tax credits or in projects under the Housing Act, under the HOME Investment Partners Act, under the community development block grant program, or by the Housing Trust Fund under the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992; or

• The plan or amendment does not provide a process to provide applicants:

• Notice by a guarantee of the applicant’s right to appeal any adverse action or inaction;

• The right to full discovery of the applicant’s entire application file; and

• The right to appeal to a court of competent jurisdiction in the vicinity of the applicant’s residence of the appeal.

• Establishes the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery Reserve Fund within the Department of the Treasury, which will be made available to grants for major disasters declared under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergy Assistance Act (Sec. 124).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text