Senator Blunt Rochester Announces Housing Plan, “The New Way Home Agenda”
Sep 22, 2025
By Libby O’Neill, NLIHC Senior Policy Analyst
Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE) announced her new legislative agenda for housing, “The New Way Home: A Federal Framework to Address America’s Housing Crisis,” on September 9. The agenda covers policies related to homeownership and rental housing and has five areas of focus: expanding housing supply, building stronger communities, improving housing accessibility for underserved groups, unlocking innovative housing models, and investing in smart tax policy.
The agenda includes introduced and forthcoming legislation to address housing needs from various angles, including Senator Blunt Rochester’s “Housing Supply Frameworks Act” (S. 1299/H.R. 2840), which NLIHC has endorsed (see Memo, 4/14). Also included is the “Affordable Housing Preservation and Protection Act,” last introduced by Senator Sherrod Brown in the 118th Congress and endorsed by NLIHC. This bill would provide financing to rehabilitate HUD-assisted multifamily housing. The agenda acknowledges the role that the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) will play in creating more affordable supply, though states the program is “overly complex.” NLIHC supports reforms to LIHTC to help the program better serve renters with the greatest needs.
Homeownership-related initiatives include a first-time homebuyer tax credit and exploring shared equity models for housing, such as community land trusts.
NLIHC commends Senator Blunt Rochester for this proactive housing agenda and leading legislation to address our nation’s housing crisis. We will continue to work with members of Congress and our stakeholders to ensure that policies and legislation are assisting renters with the greatest needs, and those at-risk of or experiencing homelessness. We urge Congress to fully fund existing HUD programs that help renters access safe and affordable housing and explore new ways to meet the needs of low-income renters.
Read more about the agenda here.