The SSI Savings and Efficiency Act of 2026 proposes to change how income is calculated for recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The bill amends the Social Security Act to exclude "support or maintenance furnished in kind," such as free rent or food, from being counted as income for SSI purposes. This means that individuals receiving SSI would no longer have their benefits reduced because they receive non-cash assistance from others. The legislation directly affects low-income individuals who depend on SSI and receive such in-kind support, ensuring their benefit amounts are not decreased as a result.
HR 8469 is an appropriations bill that allocates federal funds for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and several related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2027. The bill provides substantial funding for military construction projects across all service branches, including new facilities, upgrades, and family housing for military personnel and their families. It also dedicates significant resources to the Department of Veterans Affairs to support a wide range of veterans' benefits, healthcare services (including community care, mental health, and care for toxic exposures), medical research, and the modernization of the veterans' electronic health record system. Additionally, the bill funds national cemeteries, the US Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, and the American Battle Monuments Commission, while setting administrative rules and conditions for how these funds can be obligated and spent. This legislation directly affects military members, veterans, and their families by providing the financial resources for their infrastructure, healthcare, and benefit programs.
This bill reauthorizes and modifies an existing Federal Housing Administration (FHA) pilot program designed to help prospective homebuyers, particularly those with limited credit history, qualify for mortgages. It allows the FHA to use credit scoring models that incorporate "additional data" (beyond traditional credit reports) for borrowers who voluntarily choose to participate, aiming to assess their creditworthiness more comprehensively. The legislation requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to select these models, ensure lenders provide clear information to borrowers about their options, and specifically prevents the program from being used for refinancing existing loans. It also mandates detailed reports to Congress on the pilot's effectiveness and impact, extending the program for an additional five years.
HR 6774, the FHA Small-Dollar Mortgages Act, authorizes the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a four-year pilot program to increase access to mortgages of $100,000 or less for individuals purchasing their primary residence. This program would offer incentives such as direct payments to lenders for originating these small-dollar mortgages and grants to borrowers to help cover costs like down payments, closing costs, and appraisals. It also allows for adjustments to Federal Housing Administration terms for these loans and mandates outreach to potential borrowers. The bill requires annual reports to Congress evaluating the program's outcomes and risks to the Mutual Mortgage Insurance Fund.
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Modernization Act of 2026 aims to update and improve federal housing programs for Indian tribes, tribally designated housing entities, and Native Hawaiian communities. The bill streamlines environmental reviews, increases flexibility for these entities in managing housing funds, and raises income limits for certain homeownership assistance. It also establishes new pilot programs to address homelessness among Native Americans
The Permanent Housing Affordability Act aims to create and preserve permanently affordable housing for low- and moderate-income individuals and families. It establishes a Treasury Department program to provide grants to states and financial institutions, enabling them to offer low-interest construction loans to non-profit organizations and local governments for developing or rehabilitating shared equity homes with long-term affordability requirements. A separate pilot program under HUD offers direct grants to eligible entities for acquiring land or properties to develop similar affordable housing for lower-income households. The bill also mandates research and public awareness campaigns for shared equity homeownership models and streamlines the transfer of surplus federal land to these models at a discounted rate for affordable housing use.
This bill establishes a new funding program to support community land trusts and shared equity homeownership models, which are nonprofit approaches designed to keep housing permanently affordable for low- and moderate-income families. It creates a $100 million fund to provide low-interest construction loans to local governments and nonprofits, while also authorizing $500 million over five years for grants to purchase land and develop affordable housing. The legislation defines specific requirements for these projects, including 99-year affordability restrictions and resale formulas that limit future sale prices to ensure homes remain accessible to households earning up to 120 percent of the area median income. Additionally, the bill directs the Treasury and Housing and Urban Development departments to conduct research on best practices and launch public awareness campaigns about these housing models. It also amends federal surplus land laws to allow the government to transfer unused properties to community land trusts at a 75 percent discount from market value.
This bill directs the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to give equal consideration to nonstructural flood risk management options, such as elevating buildings, floodproofing structures, or relocating them, alongside traditional infrastructure like levees and floodwalls. It requires the Corps to resume any paused flood risk studies that include these nonstructural options and mandates regular written updates to local communities about project progress and funding. The legislation also establishes a new working group to provide expert advice on nonstructural flood measures and creates a dedicated center of expertise within the Corps to improve technical capacity in this area. Additionally, the bill increases federal cost-sharing for nonstructural projects in economically disadvantaged communities and repetitive loss areas, allowing for up to 100 percent federal funding in severe cases. Finally, it expands the types of costs eligible for federal reimbursement when elevating structures, including utility upgrades, asbestos abatement, and temporary housing expenses for displaced residents.
The HELP Act of 2026 creates a federal database to track evictions from housing units receiving federal assistance, requiring landlords and local agencies to report detailed information about tenants facing eviction proceedings. The bill establishes a grant program to provide free legal assistance to low-income tenants at risk of eviction, prioritizing organizations with experience serving vulnerable populations and ensuring rural areas receive proportional support. Additionally, the act modifies the Fair Credit Reporting Act to include eviction records in consumer reports and requires landlords to provide tenants with written information about their eviction rights and available local resources. These measures aim to improve data collection on housing instability, increase access to legal representation for tenants, and enhance tenant awareness of their rights under federal and state laws.
This bill modernizes housing assistance programs for Native American tribes and Native Hawaiians by streamlining environmental reviews, extending funding authorization through 2032, and expanding loan guarantee options. Key provisions include consolidating environmental review requirements to reduce paperwork for tribes, allowing 99-year leasehold interests on trust lands for housing, and creating new rental assistance specifically for homeless or at-risk Native American veterans. The legislation also clarifies rent rules, waives certain housing counseling certifications for tribal entities, exempts tribal housing projects from some federal civil rights and Buy America requirements, and establishes a direct loan guarantee process for tribal housing projects.
