Reps. Rose, King Introduce Public Housing Fire Safety Act to Install Sprinklers in Older Buildings

WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 -- Rep. Max Rose, D-New York, issued the following news release:

Congressmen Max Rose (NY-11) and Peter King (NY-02) introduced the bipartisan Public Housing Fire Safety Act to install sprinklers in public housing high-rises across the country. While federal law required the installation of sprinklers in all new government-owned high-rise buildings, it did not mandate sprinkler systems in those built before 1992. This grandfathering leaves hundreds of thousands of Americans at risk, including 296 out of 316 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) developments.

"Public housing agencies across the country face massive challenges when it comes to maintaining housing stock, much less upgrading them to modern standards," Rose said. "Unfortunately that's resulted in far too many of New York City's public housing buildings not having sprinkler systems. I'm proud to be working with Rep. King to change that to protect not only residents of public housing, but also our brave first responders from having to risk their lives to put out preventable fires."

"Too often common sense measures that save lives are overlooked or not implemented," King said. "Providing life-saving sprinklers which would prevent or minimize a tragedy is one of them. I'm proud to work with Rep. Rose on this necessary and overdue measure."

The Public Housing Fire Safety Act would create a competitive grant program in the Department of Housing and Urban Development for public housing authorities who wish to retrofit older high-rise apartment buildings with sprinkler systems, and collect data on the status of sprinkler installations in public housing high-rises around the country. Automatic fire sprinkler systems are an essential component of fire safety. Properly installed sprinklers respond to fires before the heat, flames, and smoke spread further in high-rise buildings. Consequently, the rate of death of residential fires is 81 percent lower in homes with sprinklers.

The bipartisan legislation, which has been introduced in the Senate by Minnesota Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, is endorsed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), National Low Income Housing Coalition, Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA), National Housing Law Project, and the Congressional Fire Services Institute.

"The IAFC thanks Representatives Max Rose and Peter King for introducing the Public Housing Fire Safety Act," said Fire Chief Gary Ludwig, IAFC President and Chairman of the Board. "Residents of public housing developments deserve to live in a safe home and without the fear of devastating fires. Retrofitting a building with fire sprinklers is the most effective way to dramatically reduce the chance of loss of life or property due to fire. The IAFC is pleased to support this commonsense legislation and encourages Congress to quickly pass it."

Time and again, the absence of sprinklers has been cited as contributing to death and injury during catastrophic fires," said Harold Schaitberger, General President, International Association of Fire Fighters. "The IAFF supports the Public Housing Fire Safety Act, because it will help protect the public safety and save lives."

"On behalf of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, I applaud Representatives Rose and King for introducing this important legislation to help protect the lives and safety of public housing residents from the dangers of fire and smoke inhalation," said Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. "Residents of public housing, including America's lowest income seniors, people with disabilities, families with children, and other individuals, deserve to live in safe homes, and it is far past time for Congress to enact this common sense bill to help save lives."

"After years of chronic underfunding, there is an urgent need to invest in public housing and prioritize the health and safety of HUD-assisted households," said Sunia Zaterman, Executive Director of the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities. "We appreciate Congressman Rose's attention to the needs of low-income families and his legislation to fund a new grant program that provides additional resources to public housing authorities working to implement fire safety upgrades."