The House of Representatives is moving forward with bipartisan legislation aimed at tackling the nation’s ongoing housing affordability and supply crisis.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act (H.R. 6644), introduced by House Financial Services Committee Chair French Hill (R-AR) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), passed out of committee with overwhelming support by a vote of 390-9, and was placed on the Union Calendar for potential floor consideration.
"It’s encouraging to see bipartisan housing legislation continue to advance," said Bipartisan Policy Center EVP Dennis Shea. "The Housing for the 21st Century Act shows the nation’s housing crisis is no longer a silent problem and that lawmakers from both parties are building real momentum behind practical reforms to expand housing supply and improve affordability, even as work continues in the Senate."
Purpose And Scope
The bill’s central objective is to increase the supply of housing in America by streamlining federal housing programs, updating outdated policies and regulations, expanding financing tools, and reducing barriers to construction and development. It is structured in several titles that address housing production, local development, financing, borrower protections, and oversight.
“Owning a home has been the cornerstone achievement many Americans have equated with attaining the American Dream. Our Committee has been laser-focused on creating solutions, and today we delivered for the American people," said Rep. Hill, Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services. "The passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act includes real, bipartisan solutions to expanding supply, lowering costs, and providing families with more options. I commend Ranking Member Waters, Subcommittee Chair Flood, and Subcommittee Ranking Member Cleaver on collaborating on this legislation and I look forward to ultimately bringing a bicameral product to the President’s desk.”
Title I: Building Smarter For The 21st Century
This opening section of the bill focuses on modernizing how housing is planned and constructed. Key provisions require the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to publish voluntary best practices for local zoning reforms and to create pattern books of pre-reviewed, code-compliant housing designs. These pattern books are intended to speed up permitting by providing ready-to-use blueprints for common housing types.
HUD is also directed to reclassify many housing activities under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) to reduce unnecessary federal environmental reviews and streamline project approvals — a move aimed at accelerating construction timelines. The bill updates Federal Housing Administration (FHA) multifamily mortgage insurance loan limits to reflect current construction costs and establishes a GAO study on closing gaps in federal housing programs, particularly for middle-income or “workforce” housing.
“America's significant housing shortage is locking entire generations out of home ownership," said Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE). "As the Chairman of the Housing & Insurance Subcommittee, I’m proud of the broad support this housing package received every step of the way. Today’s vote shows that bipartisanship is still alive in Washington and continues to be crucial to solving our shared challenges. Now that the legislation has passed the House floor, I look forward to working with our colleagues in the Senate to get housing affordability legislation to President Trump’s desk swiftly."
Title II: Modernizing Local Development And Rural Programs
This title reforms HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program to better align with market realities, expand eligibility to workforce-income households, and grant greater local flexibility. It also reforms the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, prompting communities to assess and address local land use barriers and permitting local housing-focused uses of CDBG funds. Additionally, the bill establishes pilot programs for regional housing planning and improves rural housing services.
"Housing affordability is a top concern for homeowners, renters, and communities across the country. Today’s overwhelming bipartisan vote signals meaningful legislative momentum to expand supply, improve affordability, and modernize housing policy," said Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) President and CEO Bob Broeksmit, CMB. “This legislation advances several core MBA priorities, including regulatory modernization, broader FHA multifamily financing, stronger rural housing programs, and better coordination across federal housing agencies. Many of these provisions also mirror the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act, reflecting broad, bipartisan consensus in both chambers that housing affordability action is needed."
Title III: Expanding Manufactured And Affordable Housing Finance
The bill updates the federal definition of “manufactured home” to include homes without a permanent chassis, standardizing safety and financing treatment. It authorizes pilot programs to expand access to small-dollar mortgages and increases the percentage of bank investments that can count toward public welfare.
"Delays and unnecessary red tape slow housing and community development efforts across the country," said Pam Patenaude, former deputy secretary of HUD and current Bipartisan Policy Center Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy Advisory Committee member. "The Housing for the 21st Century Act takes practical steps to streamline federal processes so housing programs can work more efficiently and communities can deliver homes faster."
Title IV: Protecting Borrowers And Assisted Families
Several sections in Title IV strengthen protections for low-income families and veterans. These include excluding veteran disability benefits from income calculations for housing assistance eligibility, improving interagency data coordination, piloting escrow savings programs for families on housing assistance, and establishing a HUD helpline for tenants. It also tightens performance reviews and supervision for federal housing counseling programs.
"The Housing for the 21st Century Act takes meaningful steps to remove regulatory barriers that limit housing production,” said Hugh Frater, former CEO of Fannie Mae and Berkadia Commercial Mortgage, and current board member of the Bipartisan Policy Center. “By modernizing outdated rules and improving how federal housing programs operate, this legislation can help builders produce more homes and better meet demand."
Title V & VI: Oversight And Financial Institutions
The bill enhances oversight of HUD and public housing agencies, including regular reporting and transparency requirements. It also targets community banking-related reforms to expand the role of local financial institutions in housing finance and streamline regulatory burdens for community banks and credit unions.
“We now urge the Senate to move swiftly and pass its bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act so that leaders in both chambers can reconcile their packages and send a landmark housing affordability measure to President Trump for signature as soon as possible," added Broeksmit.
