Falls Church, Va., Dec. 01, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Community Associations Institute, the leading international authority supporting condominium associations, homeowners associations, and housing cooperatives, applauds Florida Rep. Greg Steube for introducing the Clean Up DEBRIS Act. The legislation seeks to improve debris-removal assistance for community associations impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, floods, and other major natural disasters.
Across the country, community associations face unclear or limited access to assistance for debris removal after severe storms by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Existing federal rules were written with single-family homes and municipal governments in mind, leaving community associations with bureaucratic obstacles, reimbursement challenges, and slower recovery timelines. According to the Foundation for Community Association Research, over one-third of Americans live in this type of community, yet these neighborhoods often encounter inequitable access to disaster recovery resources even though they pay federal taxes.
The Clean Up DEBRIS Act amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to provide clear, consistent rules for debris removal in residential common interest communities. The bill ensures that community associations can access FEMA support without requiring special waivers or case-by-case approvals.
“When a natural disaster strikes, debris and wreckage affect the public health and safety of all Americans. Back-to-back disasters pose a significant threat as vegetative and construction debris become projectiles in subsequent storms,” says Rep. Steube. “Unfortunately, FEMA and its policy guidelines have arbitrarily determined that only some homeowners may receive help in removing debris, while condominiums, multifamily properties, and manufactured homeowners are left to foot the bill themselves. That is why I am introducing the Clean Up DEBRIS Act. This bill will close this unfair gap in disaster relief and bring lifesaving services to all residential property owners."
“Congressman Steube’s leadership is a game-changer for the more than 77 million Americans living in homeowners associations and manufactured housing communities,” says Dawn M. Bauman, CAE, chief executive officer of CAI. “For too long, these neighborhoods across the country have faced needless bureaucratic hurdles and frustrating red tape when seeking FEMA assistance for hurricane and storm debris removal. This bill finally corrects an inequity that has left millions of taxpayers without the same access to disaster recovery resources that other Americans receive. We are grateful for Congressman Steube’s firsthand understanding of the issue and his commitment to ensuring all communities can recover quickly and safely after disaster strikes.”
The legislation clarifies that debris removal in community associations is in the public interest. It also directs the president to issue rules that defer to applicable state and local laws, supporting faster and more efficient cleanup operations.
CAI continues to advocate for policies that strengthen the resiliency and recovery of HOAs, condominiums, and housing cooperatives nationwide. Ensuring that all communities have equitable access to FEMA resources is a critical part of maintaining safe, well-managed neighborhoods in the aftermath of disasters.
For additional information about CAI and its advocacy priorities, visit caionline.org/advocacy/advocacy-priorities-overview/.
Blaine Tobin Community Associations Institute 703-970-9235 btobin@caionline.org
