HEIR Act of 2024

This bill helps homeowners who lack standard property documents prove ownership to get disaster recovery or mitigation aid from two federal block grant programs. It requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to update rules so that heir property owners and others without traditional ownership papers can use alternative proof.

Sec. 2, CDBG-Disaster Recovery and CDBG-Mitigation programs: The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development must change regulations to let homeowners without standard ownership documents, including heir property owners, use other ways to prove ownership for disaster recovery and mitigation grants. Acceptable proof includes a signed affidavit of ownership or letters from schools, benefit providers, or social service organizations. Heir property is defined as residential property passed by law to multiple heirs as tenants in common.

Sec. 2(b), Affidavit of Ownership: The Secretary must create a standard affidavit form for grantees to use. At application time, each applicant must be told about the form and get a copy, and copies in English, Spanish, and other local languages must be available. Grantees cannot require the affidavit to be notarized.

Sec. 2(c), Exemption: The affidavit form is exempt from public comment or publication notice requirements under the relevant regulations.