Volunteer First Responder Housing Act

Key Points

• This bill helps volunteer firefighters and emergency workers buy homes by giving them access to federal programs usually reserved for paid employees. It aims to help small towns keep their volunteers by making it more affordable for them to live in the communities they serve.
• To qualify for these benefits, a volunteer must have served for at least two years. They must also meet their department's minimum requirements or have volunteered for at least 200 hours during each of those years.
• The bill allows volunteers to take an $18,000 deduction from their annual income when applying for Department of Agriculture housing loans. This change helps them qualify for mortgages in rural areas more easily.
• Volunteers would also become eligible for the Good Neighbor Next Door program. This program offers 50 percent discounts on the price of certain homes to help emergency workers and teachers buy houses in specific neighborhoods.
• Qualified volunteers must provide a letter from their employer to prove their service. They must also promise to keep volunteering for at least one year after they buy their new home.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.