House Passes Bipartisan Housing Reform Bill in 396-13 Vote, Sending Major Homeownership Package Back to Senate
In a rare show of bipartisan cooperation, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act on Friday, passing the sweeping housing reform package by a 396-13 vote. The legislation is designed to tackle America’s housing shortage by expanding supply, reducing regulatory barriers, and making homeownership more affordable for millions of families.
The bill combines key provisions from previous House and Senate proposals and now returns to the Senate for consideration of the House amendments before it can be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.) said the legislation focuses on practical reforms that will help increase housing availability while lowering costs.
“This bill prioritizes American families by expanding homeownership, enhancing affordability, reducing burdensome regulations that drive up costs, and increasing housing supply nationwide,” Hill said. “Importantly, it delivers on President Trump’s call to limit institutional investors from competing with the American people as they seek to purchase a home.”
Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) also emphasized the need for action, pointing to the nation’s ongoing housing affordability crisis.
“America is in the middle of a full-blown affordable housing and homelessness crisis, and working families are burdened by skyrocketing rents and a housing market that is pushing homeownership further out of reach,” Waters said.
Major Reforms Included in the Bill
The legislation includes a broad package of reforms intended to accelerate home construction and reduce costs by:
- Streamlining federal permitting requirements.
- Exempting certain infill and redevelopment projects from lengthy NEPA environmental reviews.
- Expanding support for modular and manufactured housing.
- Providing grants to local governments that adopt zoning and planning reforms.
- Raising loan limits for multifamily housing developments.
- Strengthening housing programs for veterans and rural communities.
- Modernizing financing for small-dollar mortgages.
- Expanding community bank participation in mortgage lending.
The bill also includes provisions aimed at limiting large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, a priority backed by the Trump administration. Supporters argue the measure will help keep more homes available for individual buyers rather than corporate investment firms.
Additional provisions update FHA and VA loan programs, improve access to credit, and include renter protections while maintaining a strong emphasis on increasing the nation’s housing supply.
Industry Groups Back the Measure
Several major housing organizations, including the Mortgage Bankers Association and the National Association of Realtors, praised the legislation, saying it addresses long-standing barriers to home construction while encouraging private-sector investment.
Supporters argue that restrictive zoning, lengthy permitting processes, and excessive regulations have contributed significantly to the nation’s housing shortage, particularly in high-demand markets. Rather than relying on large new federal spending programs, the bill seeks to encourage construction through regulatory reform and local incentives.
The legislation also includes measures intended to strengthen community banks, which play an important role in financing local housing developments and home mortgages.
Senate Review Ahead
Because the House approved an amended version of the legislation, the bill now returns to the Senate, where lawmakers will review the House changes. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who helped develop the original framework, are expected to consider the revisions.
The Senate previously approved an earlier version of the bill by an 89-10 vote, suggesting strong bipartisan support remains for the measure.
If the Senate approves the House amendments, the legislation will be sent to President Trump for his signature.
With housing affordability continuing to rank among voters’ top concerns, supporters say the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act represents one of the most significant bipartisan housing reform efforts in years, aimed at increasing the supply of homes, lowering costs, and expanding opportunities for American families to achieve homeownership.
