Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Senator Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
Introduced
Summary
Gives transit projects a scoring boost for local pro-housing policies near stations. This bill would define "pro-housing policies" and let the Federal Transit Administration add one point on a five-point project justification rating when an applicant documents those policies for areas within walking distance of transit. It also requires reporting on which policies were submitted and the amount of housing expected through new production and preservation, including units affordable below area median income.
Show full summary
- Transit project applicants: Would be able to increase their project justification rating by one point on the five-point scale when they submit documented pro-housing policies for areas accessible to the project.
- Local governments and developers: Would have incentives to adopt measures like eliminating parking minimums, establishing by-right multifamily approvals, reducing minimum lot sizes, raising height limits, or committing public land to housing to improve grant competitiveness.
- Low-income households and communities near transit: The bill would push projects to document expected new and preserved housing near transit and requires Federal reporting on those policies and the projected number of housing units, including affordable units.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Score boost for housing near transit
This bill would let the Secretary of Transportation add 1 point on a 5-point project-justification score for Capital Investment Grant projects. To get the point, applicants would submit evidence of local or State "pro-housing" policies within walking distance of the transit route. Examples include cutting parking minimums, allowing multi-family housing by right under objective rules, smaller lots, higher building heights, or using public land for housing. The Secretary would consult HUD to make a method to estimate how many new or preserved housing units, including units affordable below area median income, those policies would likely create. Projects that get the point would have to report the policies they submitted and the estimated housing units expected from them.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Schatz, Brian [D-HI]
HI • D
Cosponsors
Sen. Banks, Jim [R-IN]
IN • R
Sponsored 7/21/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov