State & Federal Proposals on Crumbling Foundations

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Addressing the crumbling concrete crisis in our towns continues to be a non-partisan issue. I wanted to share an update on new proposals to help those struggling with crumbling concrete foundations.

Resolving this issue requires community, municipal, state and federal action. I applaud the efforts of the Connecticut and Massachusetts Senate Delegations for continuing to push for federal help.

US Senators Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Murphy (D-Conn.) and Markey (D-Mass.) and Warren (D-Mass.) submitted two proposals this year, the “Crumbling Foundations Small Business and Homeowners Assistance Act” and the “Aid to Homeowners with Crumbling Foundations Act.”

This information was provided by their offices:

The Crumbling Foundations Small Business and Homeowners Assistance Act of 2019, led by Blumenthal and co-sponsored by Murphy, Markey, and Warren would establish a grant program through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to award funding up to $20 million annually over a five year period — $100 million over five years. Grants would be available to states to reimburse affected owners of small businesses, condominium associations, and homeowners for work to prevent, repair and mitigate damage caused by concrete foundations containing pyrrhotite.

The Aid to Homeowners with Crumbling Foundations Act led by Murphy and co-sponsored by Blumenthal, Markey, and Warren would provide $100 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to states like Connecticut that have created non-profit crumbling foundations assistance funds to repair damage to residential structures due pyrrhotite.

On the state level, I have submitted four proposed bills to address different aspects of the crisis:

Proposed H.B. No. 6679 “An Act Allowing The Department Of Housing To Allocate Funds To Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company, LLC By Memorandum Of Understanding.” – To allow the Department of Housing to allocate funds to the Connecticut Foundation Solutions Indemnity Company, LLC.

Proposed H.B. No. 6841 “An Act Concerning The Use Of Funds From The Small Town Economic Assistance Program Or The Urban Act For The Repair Of Public Buildings With Crumbling Concrete.” To prioritize the repair of crumbling public buildings due to defective concrete.

Proposed H.B. No. 6557 “AN ACT CONCERNING THE REASSESSMENT OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS MADE WITH DEFECTIVE CONCRETE.” – To increase the number of assessment years for which a reassessment of the value of a residential building made with defective concrete shall be applicable.

Proposed H.B. No. 6296 “AN ACT CONCERNING APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CRUMBLING CONCRETE FOUNDATIONS.” – To provide that the Connecticut Foundations Solutions Indemnity Company, LLC, shall not disclose any preliminary loan information that said company receives from an applicant without first receiving such applicant’s consent, and shall include a statement in the unified application developed by said company describing such nondisclosure requirement.

Best Regards,

Tim Ackert

8th District  – Coventry, Columbia, Tolland, Vernon