Bill brief/H.R.501/119th Congress
Homeowners with financial need could get help making homes disaster-ready
Official title
Promoting Resilient Buildings Act of 2025
H.R. 501 updates federal disaster mitigation law to better align with recent building codes and creates a pilot program for making homes more disaster-resistant. It lets FEMA use part of its existing mitigation funds to give grants, through states and local governments, for residential resilience upgrades, with a focus on people who show financial need. The bill is reported out of committee in the House with amendments.
Bill
H.R.501
Introduced
Jan 16, 2025
Sponsor
Chuck Edwards
Chamber
House
What the bill does
What this bill does
The bill changes how federal disaster mitigation programs treat building codes. It defines “latest published editions” of consensus-based building codes, specifications, and standards as the two most recent editions. This definition applies to certain parts of the federal predisaster hazard mitigation program, helping ensure projects follow up‑to‑date safety and resilience standards, not older ones. It also changes the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund section of the Stafford Act by removing one numbered paragraph and renumbering the rest.
The text provided does not describe the deleted paragraph, but this is a targeted change to that existing program. The bill creates a new FEMA-run residential resilience pilot program within the existing predisaster hazard mitigation program. Under this pilot, FEMA can give money to states and local governments so they can award grants to individual homeowners for “residential resilient retrofits.
” These retrofits must be designed to reduce damage from natural disasters likely in the area and, when relevant, be consistent with the two most recent editions of accepted building codes and standards, including state, local, tribal, or territorial amendments. The bill lists examples of allowed home projects: elevating homes and utilities to reduce flood damage, floodproofing, building tornado safe rooms, making homes more earthquake-resistant (seismic retrofits), adding wildfire-resistant features, and wind-related upgrades such as roof replacements, hurricane straps, and tie-downs.
FEMA may also approve other measures that meet the general criteria. States and local governments using this pilot must give grants to individuals who can show financial need. FEMA may use up to 10 percent of the assistance it provides each year under the existing predisaster hazard mitigation program to run this residential pilot. FEMA must start the pilot within one year after the bill becomes law, and the pilot ends on September 30, 2030. The bill applies only to funds appropriated on or after the law’s enactment date.
The bill also requires FEMA, within six years after enactment, to send a report to specific House and Senate committees. The report must summarize the grants and projects, including how many homes were upgraded, what types of retrofits were used, average costs, and demographic data on participants. It must estimate how much disaster damage and federal disaster spending may have been avoided because of the retrofits, and compare this with other mitigation projects funded under the same overall program. FEMA must also list implementation challenges and suggest improvements.
Finally, the bill states that nothing in it is meant to change any programs other than the predisaster hazard mitigation program and the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund program under the Stafford Act.
Key provisions
- For some FEMA disaster-prevention decisions, the bill says the “latest” building codes mean the two newest published editions, not just one edition.
- The bill changes the Stafford Act’s hazard mitigation revolving loan fund rules. It deletes one numbered paragraph and renumbers the paragraphs that remain.
- FEMA would have to create a pilot program for home upgrades. The pilot would sit inside the existing pre-disaster hazard mitigation program.
- FEMA could use up to 10% of its yearly pre-disaster hazard mitigation aid to pay for the home retrofit pilot.
- States and local governments could give grants for home projects that lower disaster damage. Examples include raising homes, floodproofing, tornado safe rooms, earthquake upgrades, wildfire protection, stronger roofs, hurricane straps, and tie-downs.
- Pilot grants must give priority to people who show financial need.
- FEMA must start the pilot within one year after the bill becomes law. The pilot must end by September 30, 2030.
- The pilot can use only money Congress provides on or after the date the bill becomes law.
- FEMA must report to specific House and Senate committees within six years. The report must cover project results, costs, participant demographics, estimated damage and federal payments avoided, and problems running the pilot.
- The bill says it changes only two FEMA programs: the pre-disaster hazard mitigation program and the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund.
Impact
Why it matters—and who it affects
Why it matters
This bill is important for communities that face repeated natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, and earthquakes. By tying federal mitigation support more clearly to the two latest editions of building codes and standards, it aims to make sure that federally supported projects are using current knowledge about how to reduce damage. This can affect how local officials and builders plan upgrades and retrofits tied to federal mitigation funding. The new pilot program could give some homeowners access to funds to strengthen their homes before disasters, especially people who show financial need and might not otherwise afford such improvements. Examples include elevating a home in a flood-prone area or adding stronger roofs and connections in a hurricane zone. If successful, the program could reduce future disaster damage and lower federal disaster payouts, but the actual results and cost savings are uncertain until the pilot is carried out and evaluated. The required FEMA report will give Congress data on how many homes are helped, what types of projects are most common, what they cost, and who benefits. This information can guide future decisions about whether to continue, expand, or change residential mitigation efforts. Because the bill limits its effect to two specific Stafford Act programs and uses a cap of 10 percent of existing predisaster mitigation assistance, its direct impact is focused and does not change the rest of FEMA’s disaster programs.
Who it affects
This bill mainly affects homeowners in places at risk from floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires, earthquakes, or high winds. It matters most for homeowners who need help paying for safety upgrades. It also affects FEMA, states, local governments, builders, and local officials who work with disaster-prevention grants and building standards.
The debate
The case for it—and the concerns
These are the main arguments surrounding the bill, not Modern Action’s position.
Arguments in support
- Aligning FEMA mitigation projects with the two latest building code editions helps ensure federally supported work uses up-to-date safety and resilience standards.
- Supporting residential retrofits before disasters can reduce future damage to homes and lower the need for costly post-disaster federal aid.
- Targeting grants to individuals with financial need may help protect vulnerable households that would otherwise be unable to afford safety upgrades.
- Focusing only up to 10% of existing predisaster mitigation funds on the pilot keeps the effort limited while its effectiveness is tested.
- The required FEMA report gives Congress data to make evidence-based decisions about whether to continue or modify residential mitigation programs.
- The rule of construction ensures that changes are narrow and do not unintentionally affect other FEMA programs.
Concerns and tradeoffs
- Using up to 10% of existing predisaster mitigation funds for residential retrofits could reduce funding available for other community-level mitigation projects, such as levees or infrastructure.
- The pilot program may add administrative complexity for FEMA and state and local governments, which must design, manage, and track many small grants to individual homeowners.
- Some may question relying on the “two most recent” building code editions, arguing this could force rapid changes that are hard or costly for communities and homeowners to follow.
- Because the program is time-limited and depends on annual appropriations, homeowners and local governments may face uncertainty about long-term support.
- The bill does not specify detailed national eligibility rules beyond financial need, which could lead to uneven access or different standards across states and localities.
- The definition of “latest published editions” as the two most recent code editions could, in practice, allow FEMA projects to use either of the last two versions, not only the single newest one.
- The bill quietly removes a paragraph from the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund statute and renumbers others, which may change how that program operates even though the content of the removed paragraph is not described in this text.
- The pilot program’s funding is not new money; it is carved out of existing predisaster mitigation funds, meaning other types of mitigation projects may receive relatively less.
Check the details
Key facts
- Defines “latest published editions” of relevant building codes, specifications, and standards as the two most recently published editions for certain FEMA mitigation decisions.
- Adjusts the hazard mitigation revolving loan fund section of the Stafford Act by deleting one numbered paragraph and renumbering others.
- Directs FEMA to create a residential resilience pilot program within the existing predisaster hazard mitigation program.
- Allows FEMA to use up to 10% of annual predisaster hazard mitigation assistance to fund the residential retrofit pilot.
- Authorizes grants, through state and local governments, for specific home resilience projects such as elevation, floodproofing, tornado safe rooms, seismic retrofits, wildfire measures, and wind-related upgrades.
- Requires that grants under the pilot prioritize individuals who demonstrate financial need.
- Requires FEMA to start the pilot within 1 year of enactment and end it by September 30, 2030.
- Limits the pilot to funds appropriated on or after the date the bill becomes law.
Legislative record
How far the bill has moved
Awaiting House floor consideration
Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 273. · Oct 3, 2025
- Introduced
- House Committee
- 3House Floor Vote
- 4Passed House
- 5Senate Review
- 6Passed Both Chambers
- 7Signed into Law
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