- The Senate advanced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026 on a 73-25 procedural vote, setting up more debate on a bill focused on energy and infrastructure.
- Many HUD and Agriculture Department housing projects would skip federal historic preservation reviews and face streamlined environmental reviews, affecting about $10B in annual federal housing programs.
- Housing groups say Clean Water Act streamlining could cut costs by up to about $425,000 per project, pairing with the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Law.
A permitting bill that could help apartments get built moved forward in the Senate on Monday, according to Multifamily Dive.
A 73-25 procedural vote keeps the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act of 2026, known as BAAJA, on track for more floor debate.
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Energy Bill, Housing Perks
Two Senate committees unveiled BAAJA on Sept. 30, and it rode on an unrelated, popular House-passed bill to sidestep a possible filibuster. Its focus is energy and infrastructure.
A substitute amendment released Saturday pushed it to nearly 500 pages, largely through sector-specific carve-outs from NEPA, per Bipartisan Policy Center analysis.
What It Changes for Housing
Under the revised text, a wide set of housing projects backed by HUD or the Agriculture Department would skip federal historic preservation review and probably face only slimmed-down environmental review, per a housing-group letter.
Those groups estimate it touches about $10B a year in federal housing programs, including CDBG and HOME. Clean Water Act reviews would also be streamlined, which could save up to about $425,000 per project.
Who’s Behind It
The National Association of Home Builders and YIMBY Action backed the housing measures in a letter. The Bipartisan Policy Center calls it the broadest permitting package yet.
The National Apartment Association’s Owen Caine said the provisions could make a measurable difference alongside the earlier ROAD to Housing law.
Zoom Out
Permitting reform is moving at several levels. We covered how NYC permitting reform passed alongside faster land sales.
Washington has also been looking for common ground, in a piece on how housing affordability could unite a divided Congress.
Why It Matters
Review timelines add carrying costs. Cutting them on subsidized and affordable projects would speed a slice of new supply, though it won’t touch most market-rate zoning issues.
The reduced review burden would matter most for projects using federal housing money.
What’s Next
The bill still needs more Senate debate and a final vote. Watch whether the housing provisions survive amendments, since the energy and infrastructure measures drive the bill’s momentum.
