Congress Nears Passage of Bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

The Senate advanced the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act to a final vote on Monday night after a Thursday cloture vote; the House will consider it later this week.

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Home prices and rents have hit record highs, raising the median age of first-time buyers. The bill shifts focus from direct funding to permitting reforms and market incentives, without new federal spending.

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Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) sponsor the bill; Rep. French Hill (R-Ark.) and Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) co-sponsor. Supporters include Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mt.) and Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.). Eight Republican senators, including Alan Armstrong (R-Okla.) and Rick Scott (R-Fl.), oppose it.

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The bill includes 45 provisions: NEPA waivers for qualifying projects, expanded manufactured-home definitions, grants tied to local housing production, limits on corporate purchases of new single-family homes, and no new federal funding for affordable-housing programs.

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Proponents say easing permitting and limiting private-equity purchases will increase single-family home supply and ease price pressure; faster redevelopment of vacant sites could expand manufactured-home construction. Critics note the lack of new funding limits any substantial affordability gains.

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Sen. Warren said the bill answers a housing crisis. Sen. Tim Scott said budget and lower rates needed. Sen. Chris Murphy called it a first step but warned it won’t solve all challenges. Sen. Steve Daines praised restriction on private-equity purchases.

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Sen. Alan Armstrong called the NEPA waiver a piecemeal fix, not comprehensive reform. Sen. Rick Scott said housing costs are a local issue best solved by fiscal balance and lower interest rates. Democrats, including Sen. Murphy, warned the lack of new funding limits any affordability gains.

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• “America is in a full-blown housing crisis. Across this country, home prices are sky-high, rent is through the roof, and the median age of a first-time homebuyer is now at an all-time high.” — Elizabeth Warren, Senator

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• “There’s some regulatory relief in there, but second, stopping the big private equity guys from buying homes… is another benefit for homeowners across the country, including Montana.” — Steve Daines, Senator

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• “For years the pro-housing movement has really tried to shift the question from how do we help people afford homes to how do we solve the underlying problem of why homes are so expensive in the first place.” — Baillee Brown, Inclusive Abundance

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• “Rather than actually tackling it, and you know, really fixing the problem, it just waives NEPA for housing.” — Alan Armstrong, Senator

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The Senate will vote Monday night; the House will consider the bill later this week. If approved, it goes to the President for signature, and lawmakers say further housing provisions could be added in appropriations bills.

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