Senate Passes Major Plan to Make Housing More Affordable

The U.S. Senate passed a significant, bipartisan bill on Thursday aimed at lowering housing costs and increasing the number of available homes across the country.

Known as the “21st Century ROAD to Housing Act,” the plan was led by an unlikely duo: Republican Senator Tim Scott and Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren.

This bill is being called one of the most important housing moves in 30 years. Here is a breakdown of what the bill does and how it might affect you.
 

Why is this happening?

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the U.S. has not built enough houses to keep up with the number of people who need them. This shortage has caused house prices and rents to skyrocket.

Lawmakers hope this bill will jumpstart construction by cutting through "red tape" and making it cheaper to build.
 

Key Parts of the Bill

1. Cutting Through "Red Tape"

A major reason for the housing shortage is local "zoning rules"—laws that dictate what kind of buildings can be built in certain areas.

While the federal government can’t change local laws directly, this bill offers incentives to cities and states to relax their rules. Experts believe that if these rules were loosened, up to 2.5 million more homes could be built over the next decade.

2. Cheaper "Factory-Built" Homes

The bill makes it much easier to use "manufactured housing" (homes built in a factory and moved to a lot). Under an old 1974 law, these homes were required to be built on a frame with wheels, even if they were never intended to move again.
 

• The Change: The bill removes the requirement for wheels.
• The Benefit: This could lower the price of these homes by $5,000 to $10,000, making them a much more affordable option for many families.

3. Help for Home Repairs

The bill also makes it easier for homeowners and landlords to get loans to fix up older, aging houses. The goal is to keep existing homes in good condition so they don't sit empty or falling apart.

4. Limits on Big Wall Street Investors

In recent years, many people have complained that large investment firms (like those on Wall Street) are buying up thousands of single-family homes, making it harder for regular families to find a "starter home."
 

• The New Rule: The Senate bill bans these large firms from buying any new single-family homes.
• The Compromise: These big firms can still build new houses or fix up old ones, but they must sell those properties to real people within seven years (or ten years if a renter wants to stay).

 

Is there any disagreement?

While the bill passed the Senate with support from both parties, some experts are skeptical. Some economists argue that big investors actually own less than 1% of homes nationwide, so banning them might not solve the overall price problem.

Others worry that if big companies stop buying homes, it might actually make rent more expensive because there would be fewer rental houses available.
 

What happens next?

The House of Representatives previously passed its own, smaller version of a housing bill. Now, the House and the Senate must work together to combine their two versions into one final bill.

President Trump has expressed support for the Senate’s version and has indicated he is ready to sign it into law once it reaches his desk.

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