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HF 499

A bill for an act providing for the establishment of a disaster assistance grant program, and making appropriations.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bubba Sorensen

Creates a disaster assistance grant program, administered by the Iowa Finance Authority, to help Iowa homeowners cover uninsured disaster damages not paid by insurance or other aid.

Introduced, referred to Appropriations.
#disasters #grants
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Bill Summary · HF 499

Summary of HF 499 (Introduced Feb. 20, 2025)

HF 499 establishes a disaster assistance grant program to help Iowa homeowners with uninsured damages from natural disasters. The program would be administered by the Iowa Finance Authority (IFA) and funded through a dedicated grant fund controlled by the Authority. The bill was introduced and referred to Appropriations, with Senator Sorensen listed as the primary sponsor.

Purpose and intent

  • Create a disaster assistance grant program to provide targeted grants to Iowa homeowners whose primary residences suffered damage from a natural disaster.
  • Ensure that assistance is available when damages are not covered by homeowners’ insurance or by other federal or state disaster-related financial aid.

Key provisions

  • Establishment of the disaster assistance grant program under the administration of the Iowa Finance Authority.
  • Creation of a disaster assistance grant fund, to be held and managed by the Authority, to support the program.
  • Eligibility restriction: a homeowner’s primary residence must have sustained damage not covered by:
    • the homeowner’s insurance policy, or
    • other federal or state disaster-related financial assistance.
  • The Authority must adopt and implement:
    • application procedures and forms,
    • administrative guidelines,
    • other rules necessary to implement and administer the program.

Eligible recipients and eligibility criteria

  • Eligible recipients: Iowa homeowners with a primary residence damaged by a natural disaster.
  • Eligibility condition: the damaged portion of the residence must not be covered by insurance or by other identified disaster-related assistance.

Administration and funding

  • Program administration: Iowa Finance Authority.
  • Funding mechanism: a dedicated disaster assistance grant fund under the Authority’s control.
  • The text does not specify grant amounts, funding limits, or total appropriation levels.

Implementation details and timeline

  • The Authority would be responsible for adopting procedural rules and guidance to implement and administer the program (forms, guidelines, and rules).
  • Status: Introduced and referred to Appropriations on February 20, 2025.
  • Sponsor: SORENSEN (primary).

Potential impact and considerations

  • Benefits: Provides a mechanism to aid homeowners with uninsured disaster-related repairs or recovery costs, complementing insurance and other aid sources.
  • Administrative considerations: Requires development of eligible-claims procedures, funding decisions, and program oversight by the IFA; potential interaction with existing disaster recovery programs.
  • Limitations in this version: No specified grant amounts, caps, funding level, eligible disasters, geographic scope, or application window.

Next steps

  • As the bill moves through the Appropriations committee, details on funding level, grant formulas, acceptable uses of funds, and any caps or pricing would be determined and published.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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