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Senate Approves 21st Century Housing Act, Limits Institutional Buyers

6/19/2026

Summary

Senate Considers Housing

Senate voted 87-9 on June 18, 2026 to consider the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
The bill provides $200 million annually for housing construction grants and $100 million for commercial-to-residential conversions and bars institutional investors owning 350 or more single-family homes from buying units.
FHFA’s June 15, 2026 report asked Congress for authority to pursue fraud actions and named Bill Pulte, director, as acting director of national intelligence on June 19, 2026.

Summary

Thune Pushes Vote

Senate Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said the Senate could vote on housing bill within days before 2026 midterms.
Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) praised investor restrictions, said sunsetting Disaster Recovery program helped win Republican support, and noted National Multifamily Housing Council and National Apartment Association called deal a meaningful reform.
Enterprise Community Partners CEO Shaun Donovan warned success depends on agency implementation, noting CRE groups lobby for clarification of build-to-rent.

Summary

Lawmakers Block CBDC

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act bars the Federal Reserve (Fed) from issuing a CBDC until Dec. 31 2030.
Senators Tim Scott, Elizabeth Warren, Rep. French Hill and Rep. Maxine Waters backed the anti-CBDC language while Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said CBDCs are “off the table”.
Lawmakers warned a president, including U.S. President Donald Trump, could weaponize a CBDC while critics say the ban may leave United States behind China’s e-CNY.

History

Historical Context

The Housing and Economic Recovery Act, signed July 30 2008, merged the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight and the Federal Housing Finance Board into the Federal Housing Finance Agency to supervise Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Bank System and authorized $300 billion in mortgage insurance. The 2026 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act builds on that framework to broaden affordable-housing programs and tighten investor oversight.

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Senate Considers Housing

Senate voted 87-9 on June 18, 2026 to consider the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
The bill provides $200 million annually for housing construction grants and $100 million for commercial-to-residential conversions and bars institutional investors owning 350 or more single-family homes from buying units.
FHFA’s June 15, 2026 report asked Congress for authority to pursue fraud actions and named Bill Pulte, director, as acting director of national intelligence on June 19, 2026.

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