The HOME Act of 2025 prohibits landlords and sellers from charging "unconscionably excessive" rental or home sale prices during a federally declared affordable housing crisis. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must determine crisis periods using metrics like mortgage rates, median home prices, and disaster declarations, with restrictions limiting crisis periods to 30 days (renewable). Violations are enforced by HUD and state attorneys general, with penalties funding affordable housing through the Housing Trust Fund. The law also requires HUD to monitor housing markets, investigate excessive investor purchases, and review anti-competitive practices in rental markets.
This bill establishes a new grant program to help states, tribes, and tribal organizations create comprehensive "Multisector Plans for Aging and Aging with a Disability" (also called Master Plans for Aging). These plans must be developed with input from diverse stakeholders - including older adults, caregivers, community groups, and local governments - to address 11 key issues like housing stability, health care access, economic security, disaster preparedness, and reducing isolation. The plans require cross-agency collaboration, regular updates every two years over a 10-year period, and must serve underserved populations such as older individuals with disabilities or from rural communities. The program authorizes $6.5 million annually (2026-2030) to support these efforts, prioritizing tribes and ensuring plans exceed current state and area-level planning requirements.
The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 updates the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to increase affordability and accessibility for low-income households. It raises state allocation amounts through revised per capita calculations, modifies income eligibility rules to better serve extremely low-income households, and adds protections for domestic violence victims in housing. The bill expands "difficult development areas" to include rural areas and Indian lands, and changes the program's name from "Low-Income Housing Credit" to "Affordable Housing Credit" to better reflect its purpose. These changes aim to make affordable housing more accessible while improving transparency and accountability in the program's implementation.
S 970, the Helping More Families Save Act, creates a 10-year pilot program allowing families receiving Section 8 or 9 housing assistance to save rent increases from earned income in interest-bearing escrow accounts. Covered families (earning under 80% of area median income) must opt-in, with funds becoming accessible after 5 years (or up to 7 years with continued participation) for approved self-sufficiency goals like education or housing. The program ensures these savings don’t reduce eligibility for other benefits, and participants must be fully informed about the opt-in process. The pilot will be evaluated after 8 years to assess its effectiveness in helping families achieve economic independence.
HR 7586, the American Families First Act, requires federal agencies to issue guidance within 180 days of enactment to prevent large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes financed by the government that could instead be bought by individual homebuyers. The bill mandates agencies like HUD and the USDA to define "large institutional investors," block such investors from acquiring homes meant for owner-occupants, and restrict transferring government-owned homes to these entities. It also directs agencies to promote sales to individual buyers through policies like first-look rights for homebuyers and disclosure requirements. The guidance includes narrow exceptions for build-to-rent rental communities but focuses on using federal housing programs to support individual homeownership.
The Tribal Housing Innovation Act (HR 5825) creates a competitive grant program through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to fund sustainable housing on tribal lands. It provides up to $150 million annually for Indian Tribes or tribal housing groups to build new residential units with sustainable features (like solar panels, energy-efficient appliances, or insulation) or add such features to existing units. Grants require that units be rented only to tribal members, and recipients must report on the number of units built/modified, features added, and tenant demographics. The program mandates annual reporting to Congress on national impacts, aiming to improve housing sustainability while prioritizing tribal communities.
This bill prohibits landlords from charging application fees, tenant screening fees, and excessive late fees on "covered" rental properties - those with federally backed mortgages (like FHA, VA, or USDA loans) or HUD assistance. It caps late fees at 3% of monthly rent after a 15-day grace period and requires landlords to disclose total monthly costs, past tenant litigation, maintenance issues, and rent history for the past decade before signing leases. The law directs regulators like HUD to define "junk fees" and ban reporting unpaid fees to credit agencies. It directly affects renters in federally supported housing by limiting unexpected costs and increasing transparency.
HR 646, the Build Housing with Care Act of 2025, establishes a HUD grant program to fund the co-location of affordable housing developments with child care facilities. It directly affects housing developers, child care providers, and residents of affordable housing by requiring grants to support projects in "child care deserts" (areas with severe child care shortages), prioritizing low-income, rural, or Head Start-serving providers. Key provisions mandate that projects must not evict residents, include resident engagement plans, and ensure child care providers serve low-income families or dual-language learners. The bill authorizes $100 million annually (2025-2030) and requires annual reports tracking child care slots created, resident usage, and demographic data.
This bill creates a public database of residential appraisal data to increase transparency in mortgage lending. It requires major mortgage agencies (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, FHA, USDA, VA) to share appraisal data with the Federal Housing Finance Agency, including property details, appraisal methods, and borrower demographics like race and ethnicity. The data will be made publicly available in searchable formats to help identify potential issues in how appraisals are conducted across different communities. It also establishes a process for borrowers to request a review of an appraisal they believe is inaccurate or reflects discrimination.
This bill permanently authorizes a grant program under the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 to help public housing agencies improve safety and security in federally assisted housing for low-income residents. It provides funding for specific items like security cameras, fencing, carbon monoxide detectors, smoke alarms, and heating systems to address threats from crime, drug activity, and health hazards like extreme temperatures. Public housing agencies can apply for grants up to $250,000 per year (with higher limits for larger agencies), supported by $225 million annually in dedicated funding. The change replaces a temporary program, ensuring consistent resources for critical safety upgrades in public housing communities.
