WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan housing bill aimed at boosting affordable housing supply on Tuesday, sending the measure to President Donald Trump for his expected signature after the Senate approved it a day earlier.
The House approved the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a vote of 358-32. The Senate had passed the legislation 85-5 on Monday. The bill combines elements from earlier versions passed by each chamber and seeks to increase housing production, streamline regulations and address aspects of the affordability crisis.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott, a Republican from South Carolina, and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, were key sponsors. “This bill reflects years of work and priorities from the White House, Senate, and House to build a housing affordability package that puts families first, increases supply, expands access to affordable housing, and addresses the housing crisis,” Scott and Warren said in a joint statement.
The legislation includes provisions to encourage local governments to ease zoning and permitting barriers, provide grants and pilot programs for new housing construction, and impose limits on large institutional investors purchasing single-family homes. It also modernizes certain federal housing programs and aims to reduce regulatory costs.
The bill represents a rare bipartisan achievement in a divided Congress. Earlier versions included the House-passed Housing for the 21st Century Act and the Senate’s ROAD to Housing Act. Negotiators reconciled differences in recent weeks before the final votes.
Supporters from both parties described the measure as a significant step toward tackling a national shortage of housing that has driven up costs for renters and buyers. House Financial Services Committee leaders, including Chairman French Hill, Republican of Arkansas, and Ranking Member Maxine Waters, Democrat of California, also backed the effort.
Details on the precise fiscal impact and implementation timeline remain unclear as the bill awaits presidential action. The legislation does not include all provisions from earlier drafts, such as certain tax credit expansions that some housing advocates had sought.
As of late Tuesday, the White House had not issued a formal statement on the bill’s passage, though Trump is expected to sign it into law. Emergency services and other routine government functions were unaffected by the congressional action.
The measure marks the most substantial federal housing legislation in decades, according to multiple lawmakers and policy observers. Further details on specific programs and funding will be clarified once the bill is enacted.
