Introduced on September 29th, U.S. Senator Tina Smith's S. 5580, the Public Housing Fire Safety Act, which aims to address critical safety gaps in older multi-family residential properties. It establishes a focused federal framework to evaluate and improve fire protection standards across the nation’s public housing inventory, addressing longstanding vulnerabilities in properties lacking fire sprinkler systems.
Under the proposed bill, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) would be directed to track and report on automatic sprinkler system coverage during routine property inspections, culminating in a comprehensive congressional report within three years. Additionally, the legislation creates a competitive grant program, backed by an authorization of $25 million annually through fiscal year 2036, which will assist public housing agencies in retrofitting exempt properties with lifesaving automatic fire sprinklers.
Join us in keeping public housing safe!