The GREEN Appraisals Act of 2025 requires lenders to inform borrowers about energy efficiency reports for home appraisals and mandates that appraisers consider these reports when valuing properties. It directly affects homebuyers, appraisers, and lenders handling covered loans (like most mortgages insured by FHA, VA, or Fannie Mae). Key provisions include requiring appraisers to factor in energy efficiency features, renewable energy systems, and estimated savings - such as lower utility costs - into property valuations, while ensuring these reports cannot be used to deny a loan. The law also sets standards for energy reports (e.g., using HERS ratings) and requires appraisers to complete specific training on evaluating energy data. This policy change aims to make energy efficiency a standard part of home value assessments, potentially influencing both home prices and financing decisions.
The Upward Mobility Act of 2026 would establish a 5-year pilot program allowing up to 5 states to consolidate multiple antipoverty programs - including SNAP, TANF, child care assistance, housing benefits, and energy assistance - into a single grant. States would design new benefit structures that reduce "benefit cliffs" (where increased earnings lead to loss of benefits) to improve employment outcomes and reduce reliance on direct assistance. The bill requires states to measure outcomes like employment rates, earnings, and reduced dependence on benefits using third-party evaluations, with participants not receiving additional benefits outside the pilot. States would receive grants based on previous funding from these programs, while maintaining emergency contingency funds for crisis periods.
This bill amends federal housing laws to ensure that tenants using marijuana legally under state law are not discriminated against in federally assisted housing. It removes federal prohibitions on state-compliant marijuana use, distribution, possession, sale, or manufacture from definitions of "drug-related criminal activity" and "illegal use of a controlled substance" in housing regulations. Public housing agencies and federally assisted housing providers must now follow state marijuana laws and cannot deny admission or evict tenants based solely on legal state-legal marijuana activity. The bill also requires HUD to establish smoke-free zones for marijuana similar to existing tobacco rules within 90 days of enactment.
The MINT Act modifies rules for federal home loan banks backing tax-exempt bonds used in community development projects. It removes a 2010 deadline for certain bond issuances and shifts safety requirements to be set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency Director, rather than fixed standards. This directly affects community development organizations and local governments using tax-exempt bonds for housing or neighborhood revitalization. The changes apply to guarantees issued after the bill's enactment, streamlining how these bonds are secured.
This bill imposes an annual $10,000 tax on large residential property owners who own more than 75 single-family homes (defined as properties with up to 4 units), excluding nonprofits, construction companies, and owners of federally subsidized housing. Revenue from this tax funds a new Housing Trust Fund, which provides down payment assistance grants to homebuyers. Priority for these grants goes to families purchasing homes sold by owners subject to the tax. The tax applies to taxable years beginning after December 2025.
The Housing for All Act of 2025 creates new funding streams and expands existing housing programs to address housing shortages and homelessness. It authorizes $45 billion annually for a Housing Trust Fund, $40 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and $14.5 billion for project-based rental assistance. The bill expands the housing choice voucher program by 500,000 vouchers in 2025, increasing to 1 million by 2028, and establishes new programs including Safe Parking Programs, Eviction Protection Grants, and Mobile Crisis Intervention Teams. The legislation also creates a racial equity commission to address housing disparities and requires reports on eviction data and inclusive transit-oriented development.
HR 4498 increases the annual funding cap for the Colonia Set-Aside Program from $1 million to $2 million. This change directly affects colonias - unincorporated, low-income communities along the U.S.-Mexico border that often lack basic infrastructure like water and sewage systems. The bill amends Section 916(e)(4) of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act to raise the funding limit. This adjustment provides more resources to support housing improvements in these underserved border areas.
HR 7025, the Evidence-Based Grantmaking Act, requires 15 federal agencies (including Education, Health and Human Services, and Housing and Urban Development) to use proven methods in awarding grants. It mandates that agencies clearly define grant goals in funding notices, prioritize applicants using evidence-based practices, and require grant recipients to implement such practices when delivering services. Agencies must also conduct regular evaluations of grant effectiveness, publicly share results, and use findings to improve future funding decisions. This law directly affects federal grant recipients and aims to ensure taxpayer funds achieve measurable outcomes through data-driven approaches.
This bill increases the federal tax credit for rehabilitating historic buildings from 20% to 30% for projects under $3.75 million (or $5 million in rural areas), up from the current rate. It allows property owners to transfer unused credits to other taxpayers and expands eligibility to include more building types. The bill also removes certain tax adjustments for these projects and simplifies rules for tax-exempt properties. These changes primarily affect developers and owners of small historic properties, especially in rural communities seeking tax incentives for rehabilitation.
Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025 This act sets forth requirements for the processing of a proposed residential leasehold mortgage, business leasehold mortgage, land mortgage, or right-of-way document by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The BIA must notify lenders upon receipt of such documentation, perform a preliminary review of such documents not later than 10 days after receipt, and approve or disapprove of such documents within 20 or 30 days, depending on the type of application. Additionally, the act sets forth requirements for the BIA regarding (1) response times for the completion of certified title status reports, (2) notification of delays in processing, and (3) the form of notices and delivery of certain reports. The act also provides relevant federal agencies and Indian tribes with read-only access to the Trust Asset and Accounting Management System maintained by the BIA. The Government Accountability Office must report on digitizing documents for the purpose of streamlining and expediting the completion of mortgage packages for residential mortgages on Indian land. Finally, the act establishes within the BIA's Division of Real Estate Services the position of Realty Ombudsman.
