Press Releases

WASHINGTON—Today, U.S. Representatives Brittany Pettersen (CO-07) and Doug LaMalfa (CA-01) reintroduced the bipartisan Natural Disaster Property Protection Act to ease burdensome barriers homeowners and business owners face when trying to prepare, or “harden,” their properties for natural disasters. 

Specifically, the legislation streamlines disaster mitigation efforts by increasing the amount of money individuals can invest in protective measures without having to report to the Internal Revenue Service. This will reduce bureaucratic hurdles as communities prepare for the threats of natural disasters like wildfires. 

“Needless IRS paperwork should not stand in the way of making our communities more resilient to natural disasters,” said Pettersen. “As the climate crisis continues to make natural disasters more frequent and destructive, we must equip our communities with the tools to protect their families, homes, and businesses before disaster happens. I’m thankful for the partnership of Congressman LaMalfa on this bipartisan bill and will keep working to make it easier for Coloradans to make their homes more resilient.”

“No one should have to navigate unnecessary IRS red tape just to protect their home or business from wildfires or severe weather," said LaMalfa. "Property owners should be able to make sensible upgrades without Washington piling on more costs and complications, and this bipartisan bill ensures they can.” 

Pettersen heard directly from constituents about the need to make it easier for homeowners and businesses to harden their properties, including those in Fremont County where 53% of the county has a moderate to high risk of wildfires. 

“This will help many around the country be able to mitigate their properties for potential disasters, many of whom may have been hesitant before because of the challenging red tape,” said Dwayne McFall, Fremont County Commissioner for District 3.

2,544 homes in Colorado have been lost due to fires in the past 20 years, and countless others have been damaged by  floods, hail, tornadoes, and snowstorms, and other natural disasters. Pettersen introduced this bill following concerns from community leaders, especially those in the rural parts of Colorado’s 7th Congressional District, about barriers residents face to harden their property against increasingly severe and frequent weather events caused by climate change. While many newer buildings and properties are designed with wildfires and other precautions in mind, older houses and businesses remain far more vulnerable to damage or destruction during a natural disaster. 

The Internal Revenue Service’s current $600 threshold does not align with the average costs of home hardening projects, with wildfire mitigation alone costing roughly $1,700 per acre in Colorado. The bill raises the IRS filing mandate for 1099 forms from $600 to $5,000. 

The Natural Disaster Property Protection Act is endorsed by the National Association of Counties.

Text of the bill can be found HERE.