Yes in God's Backyard Act
Sponsored By: Representative Barragan
Introduced
Summary
Provide federal grants and technical assistance to turn property owned by faith-based groups and colleges into affordable rental housing. This bill would create a HUD technical assistance program and a competitive Challenge Grant program to help remove local policy barriers and fund development or preservation of rental homes that serve low-income, extremely low-income, homeless, veteran, disabled, intergenerational, and other priority households.
Show full summary
- Families and low-income renters: Prioritizes housing for households earning under 60 percent of area median income and for extremely low-income and homeless households, increasing options in well-resourced areas of opportunity.
- Faith-based organizations and institutions of higher education: Receive technical assistance on how to develop or preserve affordable rental housing on their property and can compete for grants and loans to support projects.
- Local governments and planners: Can get grants to assess and remove zoning and policy barriers and must publicly disclose plans and respond to community comments to be eligible.
*Authorizes $25 million for technical assistance in fiscal year 2026, $10 million annually 2027–2031, and $50 million per year 2026–2031 for challenge grants; these amounts would increase federal outlays if appropriated.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Grants for housing on church and campus
If enacted, the Secretary would run a competitive Challenge Grant program to help local governments remove barriers and fund affordable rental housing on property owned by churches and colleges. Grants could pay for zoning and permitting fixes, outreach and technical help, and loans or grants to build or preserve affordable units. The Secretary would favor projects serving families below 60% of area median income, extremely low‑income households, people who are homeless or at risk (including veterans), and people with disabilities. The program would be authorized at $50 million per year for each fiscal year 2026 through 2031, with up to 10% of each year allowed for administration.
Defines affordable rent and covered households
If enacted, the subtitle would define "affordable rental housing" as rent no more than 30% of a covered household's income. A "covered household" would mean a household with income at or below 100% of area median income, with priority for households at or below 60% AMI and for extremely low‑income families. The bill also adopts statutory references for terms like "homeless," "at risk of homelessness," "extremely low‑income," and what counts as an institution of higher education. These definitions would determine who and what projects qualify for the new programs.
Help program for church and campus housing
If enacted, the Secretary would establish a technical assistance program to give guidance and tools to faith‑based groups, colleges, and local governments on turning unused property into affordable rental housing. Materials would cover building and preserving units for households at or below 60% of area median income, serving homeless or at‑risk people (including veterans), accessible units for people with disabilities, and best practices for removing local barriers. HUD would consult the Center for Faith‑Based and Neighborhood Partnerships and other agencies and make resources publicly available. The section would authorize $25 million for FY2026 and $10 million per year for FY2027 through FY2031.
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Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Barragan
CA • D
Cosponsors
Brown
OH • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
McIver
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Torres (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Davis (IL)
IL • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Espaillat
NY • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Ansari
AZ • D
Sponsored 1/20/2026
Harder (CA)
CA • D
Sponsored 1/22/2026
Latimer
NY • D
Sponsored 3/27/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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