109th CONGRESS
2d Session

S. 2771

To increase the types of Federal housing assistance available to individuals and households in response to a major disaster, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

May 9, 2006

Mr. VITTER introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

A BILL

To increase the types of Federal housing assistance available to individuals and households in response to 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 Housing Flexibility Act of 2006'.

SEC. 2. FEDERAL ASSISTANCE TO INDIVIDUALS AND HOUSEHOLDS.

    Section 408 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 5174) is amended--

      (1) in subsection (b)--

        (A) in paragraph (2), by adding at the end the following:

        `(C) MANUFACTURED MODULAR HOUSING- In making any determination of cost effectiveness under subparagraph (A), the President shall consider if manufactured modular housing can be provided to an individual or household at a cost to the Government that is less than the same cost necessary to provide other readily fabricated dwellings.'; and

        (B) by adding at the end the following:

      `(3) CONSENT OF OWNER-

        `(A) IN GENERAL- Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the President shall seek the consent of each individual or household prior to providing such individual or household with manufactured modular housing assistance.

        `(B) REJECTION OF MANUFACTURED MODULAR HOUSING ASSISTANCE- If an individual or household does not provide consent under subparagraph (A), such individual or household shall remain eligible for any other assistance available under this section.

      `(4) OWNER CONTRIBUTION- Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent an individual or household from contributing, in addition to any assistance provided under this section, such sums as are necessary in order to obtain manufactured modular housing that is of greater size or quality than that provided by the President under this section.';

      (2) in subsection (c)(4)--

        (A) in the paragraph heading, by inserting `OR SEMI-PERMANENT' after `PERMANENT';

        (B) by inserting `or semi-permanent' after `permanent';

        (C) by striking `in insular areas' and inserting the following: `in--

        `(A) insular areas';

        (D) by striking `(A) no alternative' and inserting `(i) no alternative' and adjusting the margin accordingly;

        (E) by striking `(B)' and inserting `(ii)' and adjusting the margin accordingly;

        (F) by striking the period at the end and inserting `; and'; and

        (G) by adding at the end the following:

        `(B) any area in which the President declared a major disaster or emergency in connection with Hurricane Katrina of 2005.';

      (3) in subsection (d)(1), by adding at the end the following:

        `(C) SITES LOCATED IN A FLOODPLAIN- Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section 9 of title 44, Code of Federal Regulations (or any corresponding similar regulation or ruling), any permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary housing provided under this section, including any readily fabricated dwelling, manufactured housing, or manufactured modular housing, may be located in any area identified by the Director as an area having special flood hazards under section 102 of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (42 U.S.C. 4012a)).

        `(D) INDIVIDUAL SITES FOR MANUFACTURED MODULAR HOUSING- Manufactured modular housing made available under this section--

          `(i) shall, whenever practicable, be located on a site that is a discrete and separate parcel of land; and

          `(ii) may not be located on a site that--

            `(I) is managed by the Director; and

            `(II) contains 3 or more other manufactured modular housing units.'; and

      (4) by adding at the end the following:

    `(j) Evacuation Plans- The Director, in consultation with the Governor of each State and the heads of such units of local government as the Director may determine, shall develop and maintain detailed and comprehensive mass evacuation plans for individuals or households receiving assistance under this section.'.

END