Build Housing Affordably Act

Pause Buy America, speed HUD waivers

If enacted, the bill would pause Build America, Buy America rules for certain HUD-funded housing projects while HUD studies the rules' costs. The pause would begin on enactment and end 60 days after HUD delivers a required report to the House Committee on Financial Services and the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. HUD would have to study BABA costs and waiver use and send that report to Congress. HUD would also have to decide waiver requests within 90 days; if HUD misses the deadline the waiver would be automatically granted and could not be reviewed or revoked. Covered programs would include public housing, Section 8, HOME, Section 202 and 811, Native American and Native Hawaiian housing, the Housing Trust Fund, Community Development Block Grants, and Choice Neighborhoods.