West Florida News

U.S. Representative Greg Steube is advocating for the U.S. House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure to promptly review his proposed Clean Up DEBRIS Act. The legislation seeks to mandate that FEMA provide debris removal assistance to privately owned communities following major disasters. This would extend eligibility for assistance to common interest communities, including housing cooperatives, condominiums, and mobile homes that are part of an association.

"Hurricane Milton hitting Florida on the heels of Hurricane Helene demonstrated how debris is a life-threatening issue in Florida, and that is exactly why we must prioritize swift debris removal after a storm," stated Rep. Steube. "My legislation, the Clean Up DEBRIS Act, will ensure FEMA provides debris removal assistance to privately owned communities in the aftermath of all major disasters without the need for waivers or special approval."

In his correspondence, Rep. Steube noted: "It is unfair for some communities to receive assistance while many others are denied relief. These complexities also make it hard for local governments to act, uncertain of if or how much their relief efforts will be reimbursed."

Following Hurricane Ian, Rep. Steube worked diligently to obtain several policy waivers from FEMA to assist commercial mobile home and manufactured housing parks with federal aid required for recovery.

The bill was introduced in October 2023 as a response to bureaucratic hurdles faced by his office and counties in his district when dealing with FEMA post-Hurricane Ian. With three additional hurricanes impacting Florida's 17th Congressional district recently, the necessity for this legislation has become more pressing.

The proposal is pending action by the committee.