Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-NJ)
Public Housing Fire Safety Act
A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 5 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Public Housing Fire Safety Act aims to create a grant program for public housing agencies. This program provides funds to install automatic sprinkler systems in exempted public housing projects. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development is tasked with reporting on the presence or absence of these systems. Inspections will help determine the current status of fire safety equipment in public housing. Additionally, the Secretary will submit a report to Congress with recommendations for improving fire safety. The bill authorizes specific appropriations to the Capital Fund to carry out these goals.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Low-income residents in public housing benefit directly from improved fire safety protections.
- Scored +5
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill enhances safety within existing affordable housing by funding sprinkler installations.
- Scored +3
Would people in cities be better off under this?
Public housing is primarily an urban infrastructure, thus improving its safety benefits urban residents.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Improved Fire Safety in Public Housing: The establishment of a competitive grant program allows public housing agencies to install automatic sprinkler systems in exempted public housing projects (Section 4(a)).
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Increased Oversight and Reporting: The Secretary is required to report on whether automatic sprinkler systems are present or absent in public housing, which provides insight into current fire safety conditions (Section 3(a)).
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Actionable Safety Recommendations: The Secretary must submit a report to Congress that includes recommendations to improve fire safety specifically in exempted public housing projects (Section 3(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Low-income residents in public housing benefit directly from improved fire safety protections. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Public housing is primarily an urban infrastructure, thus improving its safety benefits urban residents.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires mandatory reporting on fire safety equipment presence to Congress. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the Secretary of HUD's oversight and grant-making role in public housing safety.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill enhances safety within existing affordable housing by funding sprinkler installations.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — By installing sprinklers, the bill proactively mitigates the damage and impact of fire-related disasters.
- 10/1/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/31/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 8/13/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 11/17/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/10/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Don BaconRepublican · Nebraska
Angie CraigDemocrat · Minnesota
Gwen MooreDemocrat · Wisconsin
Ilhan OmarDemocrat · Minnesota
John RutherfordRepublican · Florida