Housing

The Homebuilding Materials Tariff Relief Act would exempt specific critical homebuilding products from tariffs imposed on or after January 20, 2025, to reduce costs for the construction and furnishing of single-family and multi-family residential buildings. The bill defines covered products by a detailed list of Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes, which includes items such as wood, glass, ceramics, and certain plastics used in housing. It restricts the President from reimposing these tariffs unless the National Association of Realtors Housing Affordability Index averages 160 or above for the preceding 12 months and Congress passes a joint resolution approving the action. This legislation directly affects homebuilders, suppliers, and consumers by potentially lowering the price of new homes through reduced material costs.

The National Housing Emergency Act of 2026 directs the President to declare a national housing emergency and expand the Defense Production Act to increase the supply of domestic materials for construction. During this declared emergency, the bill suspends various federal environmental reviews and regulations that affect housing development, while also establishing a minimum residential code standard based on the 2009 International Residential Code. A key provision creates a "Pro-Growth Requirement" that conditions federal block grant funding on local governments demonstrating positive housing growth and implementing specific zoning changes, such as allowing higher-density housing or reducing parking mandates. The emergency period ends either when four million additional housing units are built or rehabilitated, or by October 1, 2031, whichever occurs first.

The Housing BOOM Act aims to increase the supply of affordable housing by significantly raising the state-level limit on Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and establishing new federal funding mechanisms, including a Middle Income Housing Construction Loan Fund and a Workforce Housing Block Grant Program. The bill directs billions in annual appropriations over five years to support rental construction for households earning between 60 and 120 percent of the area median income, while also increasing existing subsidies for homeless assistance, rural housing, and supportive housing for the elderly and persons with disabilities. To address tenant stability, the legislation creates a new Office of Eviction Prevention within the Department of Housing and Urban Development and authorizes grants to help convert unused government buildings and hotels into emergency shelters and affordable units. Additionally, the act establishes an Interagency Council on Housing Affordability to coordinate federal policy and requires prevailing wage standards for construction workers on federally assisted projects.

This bill increases the mandatory financial contributions from Federal Home Loan Banks to the Affordable Housing Program by extending a 15 percent net income requirement through 2025 and establishing it as the permanent rate for 2026 and beyond. The legislation directly affects the Federal Home Loan Banks, which are government-sponsored enterprises that provide funding to member banks and credit unions. A key provision ensures that these annual contributions will not fall below $100 million in any given year, regardless of the banks' net income fluctuations.

The No Federal Taxpayer-Funded Housing for Illegal Aliens Act of 2026 prohibits the use of federal funds to provide housing assistance to individuals who are unlawfully present in the United States. The bill defines covered housing assistance broadly to include rental help, vouchers, mortgage support, utility bills, hotel stays, and various stabilization services aimed at securing or maintaining a home. Federal agency heads must enforce this ban by requiring fund recipients to certify compliance, monitoring their activities, and imposing civil penalties or periods of ineligibility for any violations. The prohibition does not apply to funds used specifically for enforcing immigration or criminal laws.

The Reducing Arbitrary Barriers to Apprenticeship Act of 2026 amends federal veterans' education benefits to remove financial and administrative obstacles for those pursuing apprenticeships or on-the-job training. The bill increases the monthly housing stipend for full-time apprentices to match the rate paid to military members with dependents, rather than the lower rate currently applied to students without dependents. Additionally, it waives the minimum monthly attendance requirement for veterans enrolled in construction industry programs, allowing them to receive benefits even if their on-site training hours fall below standard thresholds. These changes apply to recipients of Post-9/11 GI Bill, All-Volunteer Force, and Selected Reserve educational assistance.

This bill would prohibit any state or local government designated as a "sanctuary jurisdiction" from receiving grant funds distributed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). A jurisdiction is defined as a sanctuary if it has laws, policies, or practices that restrict officials from sharing information about an individual's immigration status or from complying with federal requests to detain or notify about the release of individuals. The funding restriction would apply to grants distributed 180 days after the bill's enactment. To determine which jurisdictions qualify for this ineligibility, the HUD Secretary is required to consult with the Secretary of Homeland Security.

The Edgely Community Protection and Transparency Act amends the National Environmental Policy Act to impose new requirements on federal agencies that plan to acquire private property, including through eminent domain. Agencies must estimate the amount of land expected to be taken for each proposed project and alternative in their environmental impact statements. If a preferred alternative is selected, the agency must state whether it minimizes property acquisition compared to other options and explain how public comments influenced that decision. These changes directly affect federal agencies and private property owners by increasing transparency regarding government land acquisitions.

This bill authorizes the Secretary of the Army to transfer approximately 20 acres of land at Fort Bragg in North Carolina to the state government without charge. The property is intended for the construction of a veterans' home under the jurisdiction of the North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs. The state is required to pay all costs associated with the transfer, including environmental reviews and administrative fees, with any excess prepayments refunded by the federal government. If the land is no longer used for the designated veterans' facility, ownership may revert to the United States at the Secretary's discretion.

The No Homeless Detention Centers Act prohibits recipients of federal housing funds from forcing homeless individuals to live in government facilities or requiring them to perform labor in exchange for shelter. The bill also bans local and state authorities from punishing people for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities, such as sleeping or resting, on public property. These restrictions apply to actions taken by law enforcement officers or private contractors acting under federal authority. By tying these prohibitions to federal funding, the legislation aims to prevent the use of criminal penalties or involuntary confinement to address homelessness.