U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) has joined three colleagues to introduce legislation that would provide affordable housing incentives for volunteer firefighters and first responders.
The Volunteer First Responder Housing Act was introduced by Capito with U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Kevin Cramer (R-ND). It would expand eligibility for qualified volunteer first responders to participate in certain federal housing assistance programs and provide a greater incentive for more volunteers to stay and continue to serve their communities.
“Hundreds of rural communities across West Virginia rely on volunteer firefighters and EMS professionals,” Capito said. “This bill works to address the staffing and retention issues many stations face—some which were a result of the recent pandemic—by providing housing incentives. The goal is to encourage these local heroes to continue their brave work in their communities, and this bill gives them access to opportunities enjoyed by other public servants to help accomplish that.”
The legislation would also make volunteer emergency responders eligible to participate in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Good Neighbor Next Door Sales Program, which presently gives law enforcement, teachers, career firefighters and emergency medical technicians a 50 percent discount from the list price of a home located in a revitalization area.
“Cities, towns and villages in West Virginia rely significantly on volunteer first responders and continually find it difficult to recruit those professionals to stay and serve in their communities,” West Virginia Municipal League Executive Director Travis L. Blosser said. “And the West Virginia Municipal League applauds Sen. Capito for her introduction of The Volunteer First Responder Housing Act that will add additional incentives to help attract top quality talent in our communities.”