42 U.S.C. § 1490q: Disaster assistance

Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, in the event of a natural disaster, so declared by the President under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act [ 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq.], the Secretary shall allocate, for assistance under this section to the States affected for use in the counties designated as disaster areas and the counties contiguous to such counties, amounts made available to the Secretary by an appropriations Act for such purpose. Allocations under this section may be made for each of the fiscal years ending during the 3-year period beginning on the declaration of the disaster by the President. the sum of the official State estimate of the number of dwelling units in the counties described in paragraph (1) within the eligible service area of the Farmers Home Administration (or otherwise if the Secretary provides for a waiver under subsection (d)) that are destroyed or seriously damaged; and 20 percent of the average cost of all dwelling units assisted by the Secretary in the State during the previous 3 years. The assistance made available under this section may be used for the housing purposes authorized under this subchapter, and the Secretary shall issue such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section to assure the prompt and expeditious use of such funds for the restoration of decent, safe, and sanitary housing within the areas described in subsection (a)(1). In implementing this section, the Secretary shall evaluate the natural hazards to which any permanent replacement housing is exposed and shall take appropriate action to mitigate such hazards. Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, assistance allocated under this section shall be available to units of general local government and their agencies and to local nonprofit organizations, agencies, and corporations for the construction or rehabilitation of housing for agricultural employees and their families. The Secretary may waive the application of the provisions of section 1490 of this title with respect to assistance under this section, as the Secretary considers appropriate. The Secretary is authorized to advance from the Rural Housing Insurance Fund such sums as may be necessary to meet the requirements of subsection (a)(1), subject to limits previously approved in appropriations Acts.