As Trump Administration Abandons Disaster-Stricken Communities, Warren, Colleagues Renew Push to Support Survivors of Disasters

As Trump Administration Abandons Disaster-Stricken Communities, Warren, Colleagues Renew Push to Support Survivors of Disasters

Under current FEMA guidelines, disaster survivors can be prevented from accessing housing-related aid if they are unable to show proof of property ownership

Bill Text (PDF) | Section by Section

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, led 12 of her colleagues in reintroducing the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act. This legislation comes as the Trump Administration has weakened housing resiliency standards, gutted the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its hazard mitigation programs, and denied and delayed disaster funding.

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act is co-sponsored by Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Michael Bennet (D-Co.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.). Having reintroduced the bill in November 2024, the Senators are continuing the push to streamline the process for people in disaster-affected communities seeking housing assistance.

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would make it easier for survivors to access aid by codifying and expanding acceptable forms of documentation that can be used as proof of residence for establishing disaster assistance eligibility, including a pay stub from an employer, a driver's license or state-issued identification card, and school registration. These reforms are needed now more than ever to ensure families and communities can fully recover from more frequent and unpredictable climate disasters, especially as insurance coverage is diminishing and premium costs are rising.

After devastating climate disasters, like the Southern California Wildfires in January 2025 and Hurricanes Helene and Milton in September 2024, survivors can be left with limited resources to help recover and rebuild their homes, finances, and communities. Even when families turn to FEMA for assistance, their requests for aid can be denied if individuals are unable to provide property titles, written leases, and other similar documents to show residency and occupancy of a home post-disaster - disproportionately impacting those who do not own the property on which they reside like renters and those living in mobile homes.

After Hurricane Maria struck in 2017, 77,000 households in Puerto Rico were wrongfully denied assistance by FEMA due to title documentation issues. While FEMA ultimately made accommodations for those in informal housing and for those who had lost documents in the hurricane, those accommodations were implemented unevenly, and FEMA did not reconsider prior denials of assistance.

"While the Trump Administration weakens our country's disaster preparedness and response infrastructure, we're taking action to make the federal government a partner in helping families rebuild their lives instead of a roadblock," said Senator Warren. "As hurricanes and other disasters continue to ravage communities, leaving many without housing and other support, this bill will help expedite federal response processes for families to receive aid in their time of need."

The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act would:

• Allow for disaster relief funds to be used for the acquisition of a property title in regions where a Presidentially-declared disaster has occurred.

• Require FEMA to consider additional forms of housing documentation and evidence when determining assistance eligibility, including a utility bill, merchant statement, pay stub, current driver's license or state-issued ID, property title or mobile home certificate of title, property tax receipt, school registration, a will and testament, a death certificate that established automatic transfer of ownership, medical records, a charitable donation receipt, or any other documentation, certification, identification, or other proof of occupancy or ownership as approved by FEMA that can reasonably link the individual requesting assistance to the applicable property.

• Require FEMA to create a declarative statement form, which would allow a disaster relief applicant to self-certify eligibility for assistance.

• Allow individuals who have previously been denied assistance due to restrictive proof-of-ownership requirements to reopen cases and use new, expanded forms of documentation to become eligible for assistance.

• Allow disaster relief funds to be used for repairs, not just rebuilding homes that have been rendered completely uninhabitable, which will help offset climate displacement.

• Require FEMA and HUD to engage in consultations regarding the implementation of a Disaster Housing Assistance Program, or a similar joint program, within 60 days of a disaster declaration.

"The climate crisis isn't a problem for a distant future-it's knocking down our doors now. We need to make it easier for people to get housing and disaster relief immediately following a natural disaster. The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act will help communities rebuild following natural disasters and lower barriers for accessing resources. When disaster strikes, we can't delay getting people the help they need," said Senator Edward J. Markey.

"Disasters are disasters, regardless of partisan politics," said Senator Michael Bennet. "Coloradans know all too well how difficult it is to recover after catastrophic wildfires. When communities struggle to rebuild after increasingly severe natural disasters, we must come together and make it easier for them to access the housing aid they need to rebuild their lives."

"Our measure helps families recover from natural disasters by improving access to necessary housing aid and assistance,"said Senator Richard Blumenthal. "Wrongful federal assistance denials and burdensome administrative requirements have previously prevented disaster survivors from accessing the help they need after a natural disaster tragically upends their lives. The Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act will help streamline these requirements and get faster relief to those who need it."

"Natural disasters are an inevitability that must be addressed, especially as climate change results in more frequent severe weather. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters force Americans to grapple with unexpected difficulties like displacement and property damage," said Senator Dick Durbin. "The Housing Survivors of Major Natural Disasters Act would help families access necessary housing aid so they can rebuild their lives and their homes after a natural disaster."

"Disaster aid is a lifeline for families to rebuild and restore their livelihoods after severe weather events," said Senator Gillibrand. "Making disaster relief funds accessible is a critical step to supporting survivors when they need it most, and I will continue to fight to ensure New Yorkers have every available resource to accelerate the recovery process after disasters."

"In Virginia, I've heard from people about how difficult it is to access federal housing assistance after a natural disaster," said Senator Tim Kaine. "These folks should be able to focus on getting back on their feet-not forced to go through a complex and lengthy process to get help. This legislation would make it easier for people to get the housing support they need after disaster strikes."

"When disaster strikes, help can't come soon enough to communities in need. In these emergency situations, no one should have to worry about navigating red tape to keep a roof over their head. While the Trump Administration is dismantling vital federal disaster preparedness and response programs, this bill is an effort to ensure housing assistance is ready and available for survivors of natural disasters as quickly as possible," said Senator Chris Van Hollen.

"No one should lose access to emergency housing simply because they can't produce paperwork in the middle of a crisis through no fault of their own," said Senator Booker. "In New Jersey, I've seen how quickly severe weather can knock out power, displace families, and force people to seek shelter with almost no warning at all. I'm committed to this legislation that will ensure more people can secure safe and stable housing by allowing FEMA to accept broader forms of residency verification and permitting self-certification, so survivors aren't blocked by red tape when they need help the most."

"California has faced some of the most catastrophic wildfires and natural disasters in our nation's history. But even as we work to recover, too many survivors have been left behind, not because help wasn't available, but because too much red tape stood in the way of accessing it," said Senator Padilla. "By expanding acceptable proof of eligibility for FEMA assistance, allowing disaster relief funds to cover repairs, and ensuring that families don't have to dig through rubble to find documents like deeds just to qualify, this bill will help Californians get the recovery support they need, when they need it most."

"For decades, title documentation barriers have wrongfully prevented many of the lowest-income and most marginalized disaster survivors from accessing FEMA assistance despite owning and residing in disaster-damaged homes," said Renee M. Willis, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. "A family that lives in a mobile home park or a home built by their grandparents deserves the same type of housing assistance offered to all disaster survivors - it is time that FEMA program rules reflect this. The 'Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act' addresses these issues, providing greater flexibility to ensure disaster survivors receive the assistance for which they are eligible. NLIHC and our Disaster Housing Recovery Coalition of more than 900 organizations urge Congress to quickly advance this bill."

"As more families are affected by the increasing number of severe storms and natural disasters, the Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act will accelerate the process of accessing disaster relief and recovery assistance," said Vanessa Calderón. Chief Executive Officer, IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción. "This bill will make it easier on those affected families to show proof of ownership, which will ease the already traumatic experience of facing major property losses."

Senator Warren and Representative Espaillat have introduced this bill each Congress since 2019, with Rep. Espaillat leading the House version.

The legislation is supported by the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC), UnidosUS, Hispanic Federation, Americans for Financial Reform, Seven Hills Foundation, and Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción.

Senator Warren has long led the fight to ensure federal disaster assistance and support is equitably distributed and to ensure emergency relief programs meet the needs of Massachusetts communities:

• In March 2026, Senator Warren and Tim Scott advanced the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act out of the Senate with the support of 89 Senators, which would permanently authorize HUD's Community Development Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery Program and establish the HUD Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency within HUD to properly administer the program and better coordinate with FEMA.

• In September 2025, Senators Warren and Andy Kim called out FEMA's failure to manage national flood insurance programs during the hurricane season as Americans faced rising housing and insurance costs.

• In April 2025, Senators Warren and Patty Murray called for investigation into the Trump Administration for delaying disaster relief funding for disaster-stricken communities.

• In September 2024, Senators Warren and Ted Cruz, alongside Representatives Brian Babin and John Garamendi,introduced the Regional Impact of Disasters and Emergencies Relief (RIDER) Act to improve the delivery of federal relief to disaster-struck communities.

• In July 2024, Senators Warren and Markey, Representative Jim McGovern, and state and local officials announced $6 million for a flooding mitigation project in Leominster following damaging floods in September 2023.

• In March 2024, Senator Warren and other Massachusetts lawmakers urged President Biden and FEMA to issue a major disaster declaration after catastrophic flooding impacted Bristol, Hampden, and Worcester counties.

• In January 2024, at a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Warren called for the Biden administration to swiftly finalize its data call about the effects of climate change on the insurance market-and to collect all the data necessary to understand our gaps in insurance coverage and the right regulatory response.

• In October 2023, Senator Warren and Representatives Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and Delia Ramirez (D-Ill.) reintroduced the Federal Emergency Management Advancement of Equity Act to address systemic inequities in the federal government's response to disasters and how it distributes assistance. The legislation follows a growing body of evidence and reporting that low-income disaster survivors and communities of color are less likely to receive crucial federal emergency assistance compared to higher-income counterparts.

• In August 2023, following flooding in New England in July 2023, Senators Warren, Markey, Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) sent a letter to President Joe Biden, thanking his administration for its support for New England communities that suffered catastrophic flooding and requesting that President Biden continue to address the ongoing needs of these communities in any upcoming disaster supplemental appropriations request to Congress.

• In May 2023, at a hearing of the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Warren highlighted the need for FEMA to fix inequities and injustices in disaster management programs.

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