House of Representatives Releases Text of Amended “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act”

The House of Representatives released on May 14 an amended version of the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” a broad, bipartisan housing package aimed at addressing the national affordable housing shortage. The bill includes 57 provisions related to housing supply, manufactured housing, mortgage financing, rural housing, veterans’ housing, and community banking. 

The bill includes six provisions derived from bills that NLIHC has endorsed: 

• Section 106 – Establishment of an Eviction Helpline  
• Section 202 – Whole-Home Repairs Act  
• Section 301 – Housing Supply Expansion Act  
• Section 405 – Choice in Affordable Housing Act  
• Section 501 – HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Reform Act  
• Section 502 – Rural Housing Service Reform Act 

The amended House bill does not include the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act, a top priority for NLIHC, which is included in the Senate package.  In addition, the bill does not include provisions from the Senate’s bill related to the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program and the Moving to Work (MTW) program; NLIHC opposes these provisions.  

The bill also includes a significantly amended version of the “Homes are for People, not Corporations” provision, which first appeared in the Senate bill. Since the passing of the Senate bill, media outlets have reported that many advocates and lawmakers had concerns with specific portions of the provision, primarily a new rule that would require institutional investors that develop “build-to-rent” single-family homes to sell those homes to individual homebuyers within seven years, known in the provision as a “disposal requirement.” The amended provision does not include the disposal requirement, so if passed, institutional owners of build-to-rent single-family homes would not be required to sell them to individual homebuyers at any point. The amended provision also explicitly exempts developments financed by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program.  

The House bill may go to the House floor for a vote as soon as next week. The bill still differs significantly from the Senate’s most recent amended bill. If the two chambers are unable to agree on which version to pass, the bill could go to a conference committee, where the House and Senate reconcile the differences and reach an agreement on a final text that would pass both chambers.  

NLIHC urges lawmakers to pass a housing package that includes provisions that serve renters with the greatest needs, especially the Reforming Disaster Recovery Act, Rural Housing Service Reform Act, Choice in Affordable Housing Act, and Reducing Homelessness Through Program Reform Act. 

NLIHC will publish more information about the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act” in Memo to Members & Partners.