House Committee Advances Bipartisan Comprehensive Housing Package
December 18, 2025 — On December 17, the House Financial Services Committee passed the Housing for the 21st Century Act on a 50-1 vote. The bipartisan housing package, introduced by committee leaders Chair French Hill (R-AR) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) alongside leaders on the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee, Chair Mike Flood (R-NE) and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO) aims to streamline development, and calls for reforms to existing programs, development, and expanding affordability.
Although some provisions included in the Senate-passed ROAD to Housing Act are included in the Housing for the 21st Century Act l, other provisions, including a provision that would increase reporting requirements on the Moving to Work (MTW) program, were not included in the bill. During this week’s markup, lawmakers on both sides praised the bipartisan package for reducing regulatory burdens that often delay projects.
What’s in the Housing for the 21st Century Act:
- Directs HUD to develop frameworks for best practices on zoning and land-use policies.
- Supports local governments in speeding up the permitting and home building process by providing grants to create pattern books full of pre-approved, standardized plans and designs.
- Allows HUD to establish federal guidelines for point-access block buildings (i.e., single staircase apartments with 3 or more stories).
- Simplifies the National Environmental Protection Act for review of housing-related activities among other things.
- Modernizes the HOME Investment Partnership Program by including the HOME Reform Act.
- Requires CDBG grantees to provide non-binding plans to review any overly burdensome local land use policies.
- Allows for greater use of Rural Housing Service Section 504 grants.
- Includes the Choice in Affordable Housing Act allowing units financed through LIHTC, the HOME Program, and the Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service to automatically meet HCV inspections requirements if they passed an inspection within the past year.
- Allows new landlords to request advance inspections to expand housing options and increase landlord participation in the voucher program.
- Allows HUD to implement a multi-year demonstration project that would test and evaluate an opt-out approach to the Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program.
Now that the Housing for the 21st Century Act has passed out of House Financial Services, the bill will be considered by the full House of Representatives after the holiday season. The House and Senate may compare this Congress’ two leading housing packages — the ROAD to Housing Act in the Senate and the Housing for the 21st Century Act in the House — and work on a compromise bill that incorporates parts of both bills in an end of year minibus bill before the current Continuing Resolution expires on January 30.
Along with our industry partners, NAHRO has actively helped shape parts of both bills and celebrate the bipartisan achievements in both the House and Senate in advancing large-scale comprehensive housing packages. NAHRO will continue to monitor the progress of the bills as work on end of year funding and appropriations continue to develop.