Rural Housing: USDA Disaster Relief Provisions

Publication Date: October 2005

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Social conditions

Type:

Abstract:

When disasters occur, such as Hurricane Katrina, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides housing relief to residents of the affected areas in general and to affected participants in the various USDA rural housing programs. This report provides an overview of those housing relief efforts. Assistance can be placed in three broad categories: (1) relief for homeowners and homebuyers; (2) relief for apartment dwellers; and (3) and relief for multi-family property owners.

For Section 521 rental assistance allocated to housing made uninhabitable by Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Rita, H.R. 3895, as passed by the House on October 6, 2005, would amend the Housing Act of 1949 to permit the conversion of the rental assistance into either Section 8 vouchers or rural housing vouchers. The bill would amend the law to permit Section 502 guarantee loans to be used for the repair or rehabilitation of existing properties.

This report will be updated as suggested by regulatory or legislative changes.