Housing Legislation Advances with Senate Approval

A Rare Bipartisan Agreement

According to the Multifamily Executive, for the first time in over ten years, the Senate Banking Committee has approved a broad piece of housing legislation. The Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025 was co-authored by Sen. Tim Scott and Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Notably, it passed with unanimous support from both parties.

According to Scott, the bill shows that housing is a unifying issue. “We’re taking a leap in the right direction,” he said. Meanwhile, Warren emphasized that the public has long demanded action to address rising costs. “This is what happens when we put families ahead of politics,” she added.

What’s Inside the ROAD Act

The bill features 40 provisions. Each one was contributed by members of the committee. Together, they focus on affordability, supply, and smarter regulation.

Key proposals include:

• Federal Streamlining: Coordinating housing programs across HUD, USDA, and the VA to improve efficiency.
• Affordable Construction: Reauthorizing the HOME program and creating a pilot to convert vacant buildings into attainable housing.
• Incentives for Development: Expanding housing near transit and in Opportunity Zones.
• Disaster Recovery Reform: Permanently authorizing the CDBG-Disaster Recovery program and establishing a new HUD office for disaster resilience.
• Rental and Loan Updates: Lifting the RAD program cap and adjusting FHA multifamily loan limits to reflect real market costs.
• Zoning Best Practices: Requiring HUD to publish model zoning and land-use strategies for local governments.
• Rural Housing Fixes: Decoupling rental assistance from maturing mortgages to preserve affordable rural housing.

These provisions are designed to work together. They aim to reduce housing costs, increase supply, and cut regulatory delays.

Broad Support from Industry Leaders

Many industry groups are backing the bill. They say it addresses long-standing supply challenges while modernizing outdated systems.

For instance, the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition praised its support for LIHTC investments. Similarly, the Mortgage Bankers Association highlighted how the bill improves access to small-dollar mortgage loans.

Meanwhile, the National Apartment Association pointed to the streamlined voucher inspections as a way to speed up development. The National Association of Home Builders applauded the focus on zoning and rural housing.

Other organizations such as the National Housing Conference, NMHC, and RETTC emphasized how the bill treats housing as infrastructure. They also noted that aligning federal incentives with local reforms could bring meaningful relief for renters.

Why It Matters

America’s housing crisis cuts across geography and political lines. Consequently, policymakers are under increasing pressure to act. The ROAD to Housing Act represents a rare bipartisan piece of housing legislation aimed at addressing this growing issue.

If enacted, the bill could unlock new investment, remove development barriers, and help build more homes faster. In short, it would provide tools to address both affordability and supply—two of the nation’s most urgent housing challenges.

Now that the committee has advanced the bill, the focus shifts to the full Senate and House. Further debate and refinement are expected, but momentum is clearly building.