# 119-hr-8854: Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026

119-hr-8854, Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-09-21).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8854
- As of: 2026-09-21
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-8854
- Congress: 119
- Title: Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2026-05-15
- Sponsor: Rep. Meeks, Gregory W. [D-NY-5] (D-NY)
- Cosponsors: 1
- Policy area: Housing and Community Development
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-09-21

## Summary

**Insured FHA loans to turn basements into habitable rental units.** This bill would create a five-year HUD pilot under the FHA 203(k) program to insure up to 150,000 mortgages for converting basement space in owner-occupied homes into rental dwelling units that meet local codes. - Owner-occupants could tap FHA 203(k) insurance to pay for basement-to-unit conversions. Converted units must meet state and local building and safety codes and HUD regulations. - The converted spaces must be made available for rental, which could expand local small-unit rental supply and let homeowners earn rental income. - HUD would write rules to ensure habitability, consult the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to identify hazard-prone areas, and may prioritize mortgages in those locations. HUD must report to Congress after five years on outcomes, code barriers, and whether to reauthorize or end the pilot.

## Cosponsors (1)

- Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7] (D-NY), 2026-05-15T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- HUD pilot to convert basements: benefit, medium. If enacted, HUD would run a five-year pilot starting on the date of enactment to insure mortgages under the 203(k) program for converting basement space into habitable rental units. The pilot would insure up to 150,000 mortgages during the five-year period. Properties would have to be owner-occupie…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026
- 119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act
- 119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- 119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act
- 119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act
- 119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act

## Sources
- [119-hr-8854 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/8854)

## Related
- [119-hr-9877: Health Equity and Accountability Act of 2026](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-9877)
- [119-hr-7977: Energy Bills Relief Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7977)
- [119-hr-6644: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-6644)
- [119-hr-7973: Momnibus Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-7973)
- [119-hr-3971: Domestic Workers Bill of Rights Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3971)
- [119-hr-3069: Medicare for All Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-3069)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-8854 (as of 2026-09-21).