A Month into Hurricane Season U.S House of Representatives Passes Bipartisan Disaster Assistance Bill

Unless a major natural disaster has hit your community, you may be unaware that under current law homeowners in community associations are not eligible for FEMA assistance to repair common areas in their buildings. Further, associations are routinely denied disaster assistance for activities like debris removal after storms. This is particularly frustrating for association homeowners as they pay the same taxes as eligible, non-association homeowners.  Thankfully, association homeowners are one step closer to qualifying for assistance. On June 26, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed the Disaster Assistance Support for Communities and Homeowners Act of 2017, H.R. 1684. This bill, sponsored by Congressman Nadler (D-NY), instructs FEMA to provide assistance to common interest communities to help them identify ways to become eligible for disaster assistance. Further, the bill instructs FEMA to provide a legislative proposal to Congress that would qualify community common areas for disaster assistance.    Read the article……………