Bill Overview
Title: Public and Federally Assisted Housing Fire Safety Act of 2022
Description: This bill requires each unit of federally assisted housing to contain hardwired or tamper-resistant battery-powered smoke alarms. The bill also requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development to complete a national campaign to educate the general public about health and safety requirements and how to properly use safety features in housing.
Sponsors: Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]
Target Audience
Population: People living in federally assisted housing needing fire safety improvements
Estimated Size: 10000000
- The bill targets housing units that receive federal assistance, which includes a substantial number of low-income households.
- According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), there are approximately 4.6 million public housing and multifamily units that are federally assisted.
- These households often comprise families, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities who rely on federally assisted housing for their accommodation needs.
- Implementing smoke alarms in millions of units will directly impact the safety and health of the residents living there.
- The educational campaign will impact the general public but primarily focus on those living in federally assisted housing by increasing awareness of safety protocols.
- There are approximately 10 million people living in these 4.6 million units according to HUD estimations, as many units house families.
Reasoning
- The policy aims at improving fire safety in federally assisted housing which primarily serves low-income families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. The implementation is targeted at 4.6 million units, directly impacting the lives of approximately 10 million people.
- The wellbeing improvement for those directly affected should be positive due to increased safety. However, the perceived wellbeing may vary significantly based on individuals' understanding and interaction with the policy's implementation.
- A budget constraint implies prioritization and staged implementation according to urgency or location, meaning some units may benefit earlier than others, causing variability in initial impact.
- There are also people not directly affected (living in housing without federal assistance), or those less aware of the benefits which may show negligible changes in wellbeing.
- Considering a diverse demographic, from single-resident senior citizens to families, the impact might also differ in terms of policy reception and perceived benefits.
Simulated Interviews
Retired (Cleveland, OH)
Age: 72 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I am relieved that they are finally doing something about our safety. It's hard to install things like smoke alarms on my own.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 1 |
Bus Driver (Newark, NJ)
Age: 34 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think this could really help. We often worry about fire safety because our building is old.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Part-time Waitress (Los Angeles, CA)
Age: 28 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm not entirely sure how it will play out, but having alarms is definitely a peace of mind.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 3 |
Construction Worker (Austin, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 2/20
Statement of Opinion:
- As a veteran, safety is key. Anything that can help us feel more secure is welcome.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 4 |
Student (Seattle, WA)
Age: 19 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improving safety sounds good, but I guess it's more of an adult concern, to be honest.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 4 |
Nurse (Chicago, IL)
Age: 46 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Having lived through a fire, I support any measures that prevent that nightmare again.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 4 | 2 |
Retired Accountant (Phoenix, AZ)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 20.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Security is critical, especially living alone at my age. This gives some sense of safety.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 3 |
Teacher (Miami, FL)
Age: 55 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 4/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Taking care of my mom is a full-time job, and knowing that our home is safer is a blessing.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 20 | 5 | 3 |
Retired Engineer (Denver, CO)
Age: 67 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 4
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Anything that can make this place safer is worth it. It's been a tough time lately.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 4 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 4 |
| Year 10 | 5 | 3 |
| Year 20 | 3 | 2 |
Software Developer (Boston, MA)
Age: 38 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think it’s good. Even if I don't directly benefit, awareness about safety can help society.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $95000000 (Low: $50000000, High: $135000000)
Year 2: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 3: $50000000 (Low: $30000000, High: $70000000)
Year 5: $30000000 (Low: $20000000, High: $40000000)
Year 10: $25000000 (Low: $15000000, High: $35000000)
Year 100: $50000000 (Low: $10000000, High: $100000000)
Key Considerations
- The upfront costs are significant but align with improving public safety.
- Ongoing maintenance and replacement cycles add to the costs.
- Community awareness efforts are critical for the success of the initiative.
- The act could serve as a model for private housing safety standards, elevating nationwide safety levels.