A landmark housing affordability bill is headed to President Donald Trump’s desk after winning bipartisan approval in both chambers of Congress, marking what supporters describe as the most significant federal housing reform effort in decades.The legislation, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, is designed to address the nation’s housing shortage by increasing supply, reducing regulatory barriers, and expanding homeownership opportunities.
The House approved the bill on Tuesday, one day after it cleared the Senate.
Trump has indicated he plans to sign the measure into law.
The legislation arrives as housing affordability remains one of the nation’s most persistent economic challenges.
Rising home prices, elevated mortgage rates, and a shortage of available homes have pushed homeownership out of reach for many Americans, particularly younger families and first-time buyers.
Dennis Shea, executive vice president of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Center for Housing Policy, praised the bill’s passage.
“The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passing both chambers is a milestone not just for housing policy, but for what’s possible when Congress works together,” Shea said.
“For the families who’ve been priced out, squeezed out, or left behind by a broken housing market, this is a meaningful step — and it’s long overdue.”
The legislation received support from both Republicans and Democrats, reflecting broad concern over the housing affordability crisis.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the measure begins addressing the housing shortage that has contributed to rising costs across the country.
“ROAD to Housing helps put our country on the right track toward fixing the housing shortage that’s driving up costs,” Schumer said.
The bill encourages local governments to streamline zoning and permitting requirements that many housing experts believe have slowed construction and increased costs.
It also promotes the development of manufactured and modular housing, supports the conversion of underused office buildings into residential units and limits the ability of large institutional investors to acquire additional single-family homes.
One of the bill’s most notable provisions prohibits large investment firms that already own 350 or more single-family homes from purchasing additional properties.
Supporters argue that large investors have contributed to rising housing prices by competing directly with individual homebuyers.
The provision was added after Trump signed an executive order earlier this year aimed at limiting Wall Street’s influence in the housing market.
The legislation was spearheaded by Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott and Sen. Elizabeth Warren in the Senate, along with Reps. French Hill and Maxine Waters in the House.
Scott argued that high housing costs are delaying major life decisions for many Americans.
“Young people today are delaying marriage, they’re delaying having kids, they’re delaying putting down roots,” Scott said on the Senate floor.
“Not because they lack ambition but because housing prices are too darn high and housing supply too low.”
The bill also contains several provisions aimed at lowering the cost of manufactured housing.
For decades, federal law has required manufactured homes to be built on permanent chassis systems equipped with wheels.
The new legislation removes that requirement.
According to estimates from the Bipartisan Policy Center, eliminating the chassis mandate could reduce the cost of a manufactured home by between $5,000 and $10,000.
Supporters say the change could expand housing options while reducing construction costs.
The legislation also directs regulators to ensure modular homes do not face greater financing barriers than traditionally built houses.
Housing advocates have increasingly pointed to restrictive local zoning rules as a major obstacle to new construction.
A 2025 report by Goldman Sachs estimated that easing land-use restrictions could result in an additional 2.5 million housing units over the next decade.
To encourage reform, the bill creates incentives for local governments that adopt housing-friendly policies, CNN reported.
Communities that approve more housing projects could become eligible for additional federal funding to support schools, infrastructure, and public services.