House Easily Passes Measure To Assist In Home Affordability
In a rare show of unity on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Housing for the 21st Century Act in a 390-9 vote, signaling broad bipartisan agreement that America’s housing crisis demands structural reform — not more federal overreach.
The legislation, led by House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-AR) and Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA), now advances to the Senate. While its path forward remains uncertain, the near-unanimous House margin sends a powerful message that lawmakers across the ideological spectrum recognize the urgency of restoring housing affordability.
The measure previously cleared the House Financial Services Committee in December before receiving sweeping support on the House floor. Members from both parties characterized the bill as a targeted response to soaring housing costs and a chronic shortage of available homes that has squeezed working families nationwide.
According to the committee’s official summary, the Housing for the 21st Century Act directs the Government Accountability Office to identify inefficiencies and gaps in existing federal housing programs, modernizes the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and removes regulatory bottlenecks that have slowed construction. It also grants banks greater flexibility to deploy capital toward expanding the housing supply — a move consistent with free-market principles designed to empower local institutions rather than expand Washington’s footprint.
House Speaker Mike Johnson framed the legislation as part of a broader push to reverse the economic strain created during the previous administration.
“Housing costs have soared beyond the reach of millions of American families thanks to Bidenflation, while outdated and burdensome red tape has constrained our nation’s affordable housing supply and limited our ability to expand it,” Johnson said. “Today’s House passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act is a critical step toward addressing this shortage by reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, modernizing HUD programs, and giving banks flexibility to deploy capital to increase our housing supply.”
Hill and Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) made a similar case in a recent opinion piece, emphasizing supply-side reform over government expansion. “When there aren’t enough homes, prices go up. The Housing for the 21st Century Act includes real, bipartisan solutions to boost development by clearing out red tape and letting communities and local banks do their job. That’s how we expand supply, lower costs, and give families more options.”
Supporters argue the legislation addresses the root causes of housing scarcity: excessive regulatory complexity, lengthy permitting processes, and compliance burdens that drive up costs and discourage development. Rather than layering new subsidies onto a broken system, the bill seeks to modernize outdated federal frameworks and remove barriers that restrict private-sector growth.
The decisive 390-9 vote stands out in a closely divided Congress, reflecting a shared understanding that housing affordability has evolved into a national economic concern. That the bill was co-sponsored by Hill and Waters — lawmakers who often disagree on financial policy — underscores the breadth of consensus around the need to increase supply and streamline federal housing programs.
The proposal now heads to the Senate, where housing reform has drawn bipartisan attention. Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) has previously worked across the aisle on housing matters and has expressed openness to reforms aimed at supply constraints.
Whether the Senate adopts the measure in its current form or pursues modifications remains to be seen. However, the overwhelming House vote increases pressure for action, particularly as housing affordability remains central to broader economic debates during President Donald J. Trump’s second term in office.
Supporters maintain that sustainable price stability depends on expanding supply and empowering communities — not imposing additional mandates from Washington. They argue that reforming regulatory structures is essential to restoring balance in the housing market and protecting American families from runaway costs.
Opposition to the bill was limited and failed to significantly impede its progress. The House debate reflected broad agreement that existing federal housing policy requires modernization, even if long-term approaches may still differ.
If enacted, the Housing for the 21st Century Act would represent one of the most significant bipartisan housing reform efforts in recent years — focused squarely on cutting red tape, strengthening local financial institutions, and reinforcing market-driven solutions instead of expanding federal spending.