New FEMA pilot would fund home upgrades against floods and storms

What does this do?

The bill updates FEMA's hazard mitigation rules, including clarifying building code standards and removing an outdated loan fund provision. It also creates a Residential Retrofit and Resilience Pilot Program, requiring FEMA to launch it within a year and run it through September 2030, funding home upgrades like flood elevation, tornado safe rooms, and wildfire protection.

Who does it affect?

Homeowners in disaster-prone areas, especially lower-income ones, would be eligible for grants distributed through state and local governments. FEMA, state and local governments, and homebuilders or contractors would also be affected.

Why does it matter?

The changes could increase demand for retrofit construction work and shift some federal disaster funding toward direct household-level grants rather than other mitigation uses.

What does it cost, and who pays?

• Up to 10% of pre-disaster mitigation funds
• Priority for financial-need homeowners
• Program runs through September 2030