Updated · National Association of Home Builders · May 15
House to Vote on Housing Bill Removing 72,000-Unit Rental Risk as FHA Loan Caps Rise
Updated
Updated · National Association of Home Builders · May 15
House to Vote on Housing Bill Removing 72,000-Unit Rental Risk as FHA Loan Caps Rise
7 articles · Updated · National Association of Home Builders · May 15
The House plans to vote as soon as the week of May 18 on an amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act package backed by the National Association of Home Builders.
The amendment would scrap a forced-sale requirement for purpose-built single-family rentals that NAHB and the Urban Institute said could cut rental supply by 40,000 to 72,000 units a year.
It also raises and indexes FHA multifamily loan limits, which have been unchanged for 12 years, and eases rules for community banks that finance residential construction.
Additional provisions would broaden HOME program flexibility, fund point-access building pilots, require public-land databases for CDBG recipients, and exempt some USDA-assisted infill projects from environmental reviews.
NAHB labeled the House vote a key vote in a May 15 letter and said it will press the Senate to move quickly if the package clears the chamber.
With construction rules relaxed, what ensures the new housing supply will actually be affordable for families?
Can this federal housing act overcome the local zoning laws that often block new construction?
Will new rules make institutional investors build apartments instead of buying single-family homes?
House’s 2026 Housing Bill: Institutional Investor Ban, New Supply Incentives, and Political Stakes in Affordable Housing Crisis
Overview
The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote on a revised bipartisan housing bill that responds to the nation’s urgent affordable housing crisis. Crafted through cooperation between Rep. Maxine Waters and Chairman French Hill, the bill aims to expand access to affordable homes, hold institutional investors accountable, and protect renters. A major focus is regulating large investors in the housing market, while also introducing measures to boost housing supply. This legislative push reflects a broad effort to maintain momentum and address immediate housing needs through both market regulation and increased support for renters and homebuyers.