The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act quietly moved into law at midnight on Saturday, July 11 without President Trump’s signature and without the official ceremony or fanfare such a landmark bill deserves. But, regardless of how this important act moved into law, the sweeping bipartisan legislation marks a major step toward addressing the nation’s affordable housing crisis.
The bill had remarkedly strong bipartisan support with the Senate voting 85-5 and the House voting 358-32 in favor of the legislation.
The ROAD to Housing Act includes more than 50 provisions aimed at boosting housing supply by reducing regulatory barriers, modernizing federal housing programs, and strengthening coordination across the housing system.
Habitat informed and influenced more than a dozen provisions in the ROAD to Housing Act, thanks to yearslong dedication to advocacy and strategic partnerships with policymakers.
Many of the provisions included in the sweeping ROAD to Housing Act will impact Habitat’s long-term efforts to increase affordable housing units and create more first-time homebuyers by reducing persistent zoning barriers, streamlining federal environmental review processes, and lowering development costs.
Pennsylvania Habitat affiliates are particularly proud about the inclusion of the homegrown Whole-Home Repairs Act to the ROAD to Housing Act, which would offer grants and provide forgivable loans to low-income homeowners to make critical repairs, address accessibility needs and preserve the existing affordable housing stock.
“Habitat’s advocacy on the Whole-Home Repairs Act started with the successful expansion of an innovative city program championed by Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia in 2021, which led to the creation of a Pennsylvania state program in 2023 and ultimately helped garner bipartisan support for a national program,” Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford wrote in a June 24 email update.
The inclusion of the Whole-Home Repairs Act is one example of local action having a national impact.
“Lancaster Lebanon Habitat, along with several other Habitat affiliates of Pennsylvania, played a leading role to advocate for Pennsylvania’s Whole Home Repairs Program to have a federal counterpart to help provide critical repairs to low-income households,” says Andrew Szalay, President & CEO of Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity. “Thank you to members of both parties and chambers of Congress for enacting the first major housing bill since Cranston-Gonzalez Act in 1990.”
Although the ROAD to Housing Act is now law, federal agencies including HUD, USDA, FHA, and others will have to develop regulations, guidelines and procedures before many of these new reforms and programs can effectively be put into practice.
The passage of the ROAD to Housing Act is definitely a moment to celebrate, but Habitat recognizes this is only the beginning and we’ll continue to work with Congress to expand pathways to homeownership, increase the supply of starter homes, and create more opportunities for families to have a decent place to call home.