All Roll Calls
Yes: 735 • No: 44
HR6644119th CongressWALLET
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
Sponsored By: Representative Hill, J. French [R-AR-2]
Passed Senate
Summary
Expands and preserves affordable housing supply while modernizing HUD programs and disaster recovery. The bill creates new grants and pilots, updates loan and appraisal rules, protects tenants, and restricts large investor purchases to keep more homes available to individuals.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
30 provisions identified: 23 benefits, 1 costs, 6 mixed.
Bigger rural home repair loans and grants
If enacted, the cap for Section 504 small farm housing repair grants or loans would rise from $7,500 to $15,000. At least 60% of loan funds would be reserved for very low‑income applicants.
More families qualify for HOME help
If enacted, more families could qualify for HOME funds. A household would be eligible at up to 100% of area median income, adjusted for family size. A HOME rental unit would count as affordable if the tenant has a section 8 voucher, the tenant pays only what the voucher allows, and the total rent matches what the housing agency approves.
Faster, stricter disaster-recovery housing aid
If enacted, a new Treasury fund would support long‑term disaster recovery. HUD could make preliminary grants up to $5 million per grantee to jump‑start planning and fraud prevention. At least 70% of each grant would have to benefit low‑ and moderate‑income people unless HUD issues a specific waiver. Admin costs would be capped at 8%, and admin plus planning and technical help at 20%. Three percent of fund amounts would support HUD capacity. HUD would publish and then finalize an allocation formula, including an option to add up to 18% for mitigation, and could not pay costs already covered by FEMA or the Army Corps. HUD would audit grantees and could suspend poor performers.
Temporary ban on a Federal digital dollar
If enacted, the Federal Reserve would be barred from issuing a retail central bank digital currency that is a Fed liability and widely available to the public. Private, open, permissionless digital dollars that preserve cash‑like privacy would still be allowed. The ban would end on December 31, 2030.
Big grants to add more housing
If enacted, HUD would launch an Innovation Fund within one year, making at least 25 grants a year of $250,000 to $10,000,000. Congress would authorize $200 million per year for 2027–2031, adjusted for inflation. A RESIDE pilot (2027–2031) would fund $1 million to $10 million grants in years with at least $100 million available to turn vacant buildings into housing, with priority for distressed areas. HUD could also fund ready‑made housing plan designs and require at least 10% to go to rural areas, and offer 5‑year planning grants (admin costs capped at 10%) to help local reforms.
Big investor home buys would be blocked
If enacted, large investors that control 350 or more single‑family homes would be barred from most new home purchases. Some exceptions would apply, but homes bought under certain exceptions must be sold to an individual buyer within 7 years. Renters would get a 30‑day first‑look right and lease renewals capped at 36 months. Broad advertising and a 60‑day market window would be required. Violations would face penalties of the larger of $1,000,000 or three times the purchase price.
Easier access to small-dollar mortgages
If enacted, the CFPB would report within 270 days on how loan officer pay affects mortgages of $100,000 or less and could set rules so pay for small loans is not worse than for larger loans. The CFPB would also review points‑and‑fees limits and could amend them to support more lending for small mortgages.
Faster voucher inspections and stronger tenant oversight
If enacted, PHAs could accept recent inspections from programs like LIHTC, HOME, or Rural Housing done within 12 months. HUD could allow remote video inspections in rural or small areas. PHAs could pre‑approve units for new landlords and share lists of inspected homes with families. MTW PHAs would be limited to using no more than 5% of section 8(o) funds for non‑housing payments. RAD authority would continue each year, HUD could require a tenant lease addendum, and HUD would publish yearly findings and fix serious violations.
Grants and forgivable loans for home repairs
If enacted, a pilot would fund whole‑home repair grants for low‑income owner‑occupants (income at or below 80% of area median income or eligible for Medicaid, CHIP, SSI, SNAP, or TANF). Small landlords with fewer than 10 eligible properties and no more than 25 units could get repair loans that may be forgiven within 3 years if they follow the rules. Local groups would set maximum award amounts based on local costs and must coordinate with other programs. Funded repairs must be finished or partly repaid if not completed, and unused balances would be recycled for more repairs.
Higher FHA limits and new manufactured rules
If enacted, FHA loan caps for repairs and manufactured homes would be raised to listed amounts, like $75,000 for repairs and about $106,405–$195,322 for home purchases. HUD would have one year to set an index to update these caps each year. The bill would also treat manufactured homes built with or without a chassis as manufactured housing. HUD would set labels and data plates, and states would need to certify within 1 year (2 years for biennial legislatures) that chassis‑less units get the same treatment as other manufactured homes.
Keep rural rentals and vouchers stable
If enacted, USDA would set a long‑term program to preserve rural rental homes in sections 514, 515, and 516 projects. It would allow loan restructuring tools and renew rental aid for up to 20 years, subject to funding. Nonprofits and public bodies could buy 515 properties at market price, agree to fix them during ownership, and record long‑term affordability rules; a transfer cap would rise from 9% to 25%. USDA would also create a process to update rural vouchers when income, family size, or rent changes, and require annual checks to stay under 80% of area median income.
More help for modular and manufactured homes
If enacted, HUD would review FHA construction financing and start rulemaking to fix barriers for modular and manufactured builders. The bill would fund studies to design a uniform code to track and secure modular home parts and link it to financing. It would also create PRICE grants to repair and improve resident‑owned manufactured home communities serving households up to 120% of area median income. Fair housing, labor, and environmental rules would still apply.
More rural renters get vouchers and safeguards
If enacted, low‑income renters in USDA‑financed properties prepaid, foreclosed, or matured after September 30, 2005 would be eligible for rural housing vouchers. Voucher payments would get interim and yearly reviews when income, family size, or rent changes. USDA‑backed multifamily foreclosures would follow the Multifamily Mortgage Foreclosure Act, giving renters more notice and protections.
More support for rural homeowners and providers
If enacted, an approved buyer who assumes a USDA Section 502 loan would release the original borrower from liability. Lenders could charge an assumption fee, but USDA would set a maximum and may index it for inflation. USDA would change rules so licensed or applicant home‑based child care providers can use certain USDA home loans. The Rural Housing Service would get funds for staffing and IT upgrades for up to five years. A rural initiative would give grants up to $500,000 to groups that help rural housing and development, with the local match waived in persistently poor regions.
Veterans’ disability pay excluded for housing aid
If enacted, HUD would not count VA disability pay when deciding if you qualify for supported housing under section 8(o)(19) or other housing aid tied to that program. The same exclusion would apply when a veteran rents a home built on Department property after enactment. This would not change how ‘adjusted income’ is calculated where that term is used. The bill would also clarify that lenders do not have to decide VA loan eligibility when giving the FHA consumer notice.
Faster approvals and new‑build options
If enacted, communities could use up to 20% of new Community Development Block Grant funds to build affordable housing. HUD would set clear NEPA review tracks so small and mid‑size projects face lighter, faster reviews, while larger projects keep fuller reviews. HUD, USDA, and VA would also report within 180 days on removing federal rules that make new homebuilding harder, after a 30‑day public comment period.
HOME updates for buyers and projects
If enacted, the HOME program would be reauthorized. HOME funds in areas without CDBG title I aid could pay for nearby water, sewer, sidewalks, roads, and utility hookups next to HOME or tax‑credit housing, with HUD rules due within one year. For HOME‑assisted buyers, the purchase‑price limit would rise from 95% to 110% (as defined in the bill) and homes would keep long‑term affordability through shared‑equity rules. Small projects in places with under $3,000,000 in recent allocations and 50 or fewer units would be exempt from Section 3 hiring preference rules.
Temporary flexibility for homelessness grants
If enacted, grantees could ask HUD to waive an expenditure cap for grants in fiscal years 2027–2030. They would need to show local need, provide a detailed plan tied to the Consolidated Plan, and get public input. HUD would post requests and decide within 60 days, and deny any request from a grantee that relocates people without offering emergency or permanent housing options. Approved waivers would last for the grant period unless later revoked after required notice.
Help preserve at‑risk apartments
If enacted, HUD could give grants to nonprofits and public housing agencies to provide legal and financial help to owners and borrowers of at‑risk multifamily buildings. The goal would be to buy or preserve properties in areas likely to lose affordable rentals.
No new funds to run changes
If enacted, the bill would not authorize new money to carry out its requirements. Agencies would have to use existing funds, which could slow or limit implementation.
Faster, fairer home appraisals and reviews
If enacted, lenders on federally backed mortgages would need a clear process to reconsider a home appraisal for your main home. States would be able to credential trainee appraisers and list them on a national registry, while the supervising appraiser stays responsible. States could also get grants to train and recruit more appraisers. FHA appraisers would face new competency and education rules, with HUD guidance due within 240 days and effective within 180 days after that.
New FHA limits and monthly reports
If enacted, some FHA dollar limits would update each year starting July 1, 2025, using a Census price index from March‑to‑March and rounding down, with results in the Federal Register. If that index is unavailable, HUD would choose an alternate after public comment. HUD would also send Congress monthly reports on the FHA fund’s capital ratio and alert Congress if it drops below the required level, and add data on covered and first‑time homebuyers to annual reports.
New pilots and savings for assisted renters
If enacted, HUD would issue detailed annual MTW reports and choose PHAs that keep at least 75% of families very low‑income and meet quality rules. A new MTW cohort (up to 25 high‑performing PHAs) could try tools like reporting on‑time rent to credit bureaus with consent and optional savings features, using only certain pre‑2025 waivers. A separate escrow pilot would let up to 5,000 Section 8 or 9 families save the rent increase tied to earned income in interest accounts, with withdrawals generally after 5 years and no later than 7 years. The pilot would end 10 years after enactment.
More appraisal data, possible fee changes
If enacted, GAO would report within 240 days on creating a public appraisal database, including costs, privacy, and using data back to January 1, 2017. Agencies would study ways to improve appraisal transparency and quality. The Appraisal Subcommittee could change registry fees with Council approval, which could raise or lower appraisal costs.
CDBG funds shift with housing growth
If enacted, starting in the third full fiscal year after enactment through 2043, HUD would adjust CDBG allocations by each area’s housing growth improvement rate. Places below the median would get 10% less. Places at or above the median, or with 4%+ annual growth, would get bonus funds split by housing units, funded by the decreases. HUD would notify areas of their rate within 60 days of enactment and publish a report before allocations.
Safer rebuilding and clearer disaster grant plans
If enacted, disaster grantees would have 90 days after an award is announced to file a public plan that explains activities, who benefits, and how it fits hazard plans, with at least 14 days for public comment. Grant‑funded work in hazard zones would need to meet building standards, and homes in special flood hazard areas would need flood insurance that meets or exceeds federal rules. Projects using these grants would follow a relocation policy based on Uniform Relocation Assistance, with stated benefits and appeal rights.
Better housing counseling and foreclosure help
If enacted, the GAO would complete several housing studies within about a year, including heirs property and housing near Superfund sites. HUD would review counseling agencies and counselors, require training or retesting when needed, and can suspend certifications after at least two retests. Borrowers 30 or more days late on covered FHA, VA, USDA, or section 184/184A loans would be offered foreclosure‑mitigation counseling. FHA could pay fair‑market counseling costs on some loans if existing fund rules are met.
Clearer VA loan info for veterans
If enacted, the standard mortgage application would add a military‑service question with a note saying you may qualify for a VA home loan. FHA’s consumer notice would also show a loan‑to‑income comparison for VA loans. These changes would help veterans compare options at the time of application.
More housing oversight and shared data
If enacted, the HUD Secretary and leaders of major mortgage and housing agencies would testify to Congress each year. HUD, USDA, and VA would share housing research and market data. The US Interagency Council on Homelessness would issue an annual plan update and testify yearly. FHA would use a new test to count first‑time homebuyers and report results by census tract.
Streamlined reviews for HUD–USDA housing
If enacted, HUD and USDA would sign an agreement within 180 days to align environmental reviews for joint housing projects. Each could accept certain reviews from the other and study joint inspections. Within one year, they would report to Congress while keeping resident safety and environmental protections intact.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Hill, J. French [R-AR-2]
AR • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]
CA • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Flood, Mike [R-NE-1]
NE • R
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5]
MO • D
Sponsored 12/11/2025
Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9]
TX • D
Sponsored 12/15/2025
Sessions
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
NY • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rose
TN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Sherman, Brad [D-CA-32]
CA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Steil, Bryan [R-WI-1]
WI • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Scott, David
GA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Stutzman
IN • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Beatty, Joyce [D-OH-3]
OH • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Meuser, Daniel [R-PA-9]
PA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Pressley, Ayanna [D-MA-7]
MA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Kim, Young [R-CA-40]
CA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Tlaib, Rashida [D-MI-12]
MI • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Garbarino, Andrew R. [R-NY-2]
NY • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Torres, Ritchie [D-NY-15]
NY • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
NY • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Garcia, Sylvia R. [D-TX-29]
TX • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. De La Cruz, Monica [R-TX-15]
TX • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]
CO • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Nunn, Zachary [R-IA-3]
IA • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Fields, Cleo [D-LA-6]
LA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Salazar
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Bynum, Janelle S. [D-OR-5]
OR • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Downing, Troy [R-MT-2]
MT • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Liccardo
CA • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Haridopolos
FL • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Rep. Moskowitz, Jared [D-FL-23]
FL • D
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Moore (NC)
NC • R
Sponsored 1/15/2026
Roll Call Votes
senate vote • 3/12/2026
On Passage of the Bill H.R. 6644
Yes: 89 • No: 10
senate vote • 3/11/2026
On the Cloture Motion H.R. 6644
Yes: 82 • No: 11
senate vote • 3/4/2026
On the Motion to Proceed H.R. 6644
Yes: 90 • No: 8
senate vote • 3/2/2026
On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed H.R. 6644
Yes: 84 • No: 6
house vote • 2/9/2026
On Motion to Suspend the Rules and Pass, as Amended
Yes: 390 • No: 9