The House of Representatives passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act with a 390-9 vote, advancing bipartisan legislation designed to ease housing affordability pressures across the nation.
The bill, co-sponsored by House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AK) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), now moves to the Senate with significant momentum from its lopsided House margin. The measure cleared the Financial Services Committee in December before receiving near-unanimous floor support.
What the Bill Does
The legislation directs the Government Accountability Office to identify inefficiencies in existing federal housing programs and updates the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program. The bill reduces regulatory obstacles that lawmakers say have slowed housing development and provides banks greater flexibility to deploy capital toward expanding housing supply.
Supporters argue that housing scarcity has been exacerbated by regulatory complexity, permitting delays, and compliance costs that make development more expensive and time-consuming. The measure focuses on supply-side reforms rather than new subsidies, addressing structural issues within federal housing policy.
Bipartisan Support
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the bill represents
