The Neighborhood Homes Investment Act creates a new tax credit to increase affordable homeownership in distressed communities by closing financing gaps. It allows developers to claim a credit equal to the difference between development costs and affordable sale prices, capped at 40% of development costs or 32% of the national median home price. To qualify, homes must be sold to individuals with incomes at or below 140% of area median income in designated distressed census tracts, with specific requirements for rehabilitation and affordability. The credit is designed to address housing shortages in low-income areas while requiring repayment if homes are resold within five years.
S 885 establishes a permanent program to preserve rural affordable housing by protecting low-income residents in properties financed under USDA rural housing loans (sections 514, 515, or 516). It requires annual notices to owners about maturing loans and to tenants about housing security options, including rental assistance renewal for up to 20 years. Key mechanisms include adjusting loan terms (reducing interest or deferring payments), requiring binding agreements to maintain affordability, and providing technical assistance to prevent loss of housing. The bill directly affects rural low-income tenants, farm laborers, and property owners, with $200 million annually authorized for 2026-2030 to support these efforts.
This bill creates a HUD grant program to help developers offset state and local taxes and infrastructure fees for new housing projects. Developers must secure commitments from local governments to reduce property taxes by at least 50% on qualifying projects to qualify. Priority is given to projects increasing affordable housing, located near transit or job centers, using infill sites, or targeting workforce/senior housing needs. The program allocates $300 million annually (2027-2031) to cover up to 50% of eligible costs or $150,000 per developer, with grants lasting up to five years.
This bill modifies eligibility rules for two federal loan programs (TIFIA and RRIF) to better accommodate residential and mixed-use development projects. It requires that such projects meet creditworthiness standards jointly determined by the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development secretaries, ensuring standards protect program finances while aligning with HUD's existing housing requirements. The changes apply to projects seeking loans under these programs after a 180-day effective date. The bill does not create new funding but adjusts how housing projects qualify for existing federal loan assistance.
HR 5824, the Tribal Affordable Housing Act, creates a new HUD grant program to help Native American tribes build or improve housing on tribal lands. It allocates $150 million annually starting in 2026 for competitive grants to tribes or tribal housing entities that historically received under $500,000 in HUD funding. Grants fund either new residential units or necessary improvements (like repairs or additions) to existing units. The program operates under existing rules from the 1996 Native American Housing Act.
This bill amends federal transit grant rules to incentivize local housing policies near transit. It defines "pro-housing policies" as actions removing regulatory barriers (like eliminating parking minimums or streamlining approvals for multi-family housing) and adds a 1-point scoring boost in grant evaluations for projects demonstrating such policies within walking distance of transit. Local governments and developers seeking federal transit capital grants can earn this boost by documenting these policies, with HUD consulted to assess expected housing outcomes. The policy directly affects how transit projects are scored for funding, aiming to align housing production with transit access.
This bill establishes a HUD demonstration program to connect homeless individuals with behavioral health needs to treatment services. It awards up to 10 grants to Continuums of Care (CoCs) in the 5 states with the highest homelessness rates per capita, provided they're within 50 miles of a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. The program refers "qualified participants" - homeless individuals receiving supportive housing or disability benefits - to these clinics for mental health, substance use, and behavioral health treatment. It authorizes $50 million (2025-2029) and requires a report on program outcomes, including whether participants received Social Security disability benefits.
This bill amends the EB-5 immigrant investor visa program to prioritize housing projects. It redefines "housing project" to include rental housing or homes for purchase as primary residences and directs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to prioritize processing applications for such projects, especially those using federal housing programs like Section 42 tax credits or HOME funds. The bill requires annual reports from Homeland Security on housing-related EB-5 applications and impacts, and mandates a GAO review after three years to assess whether the changes increase immigrant investment in housing. It does not change visa quotas or create new funding but streamlines processing for housing-focused investments.
The UNLOCK Housing Act (S 3169) updates federal housing law to expand eligibility for existing funding. It allows metropolitan cities, counties, states, local governments, insular areas, and tribes receiving Section 106 housing funds to build new residential housing for low- and moderate-income people. This change applies directly to jurisdictions already managing federal housing assistance programs. The bill adds this specific housing type as an approved use of funds, without requiring nonprofit partnerships, making it easier to develop affordable housing options.
This bill amends housing law to ensure disabled veterans' service-connected disability compensation from the VA is excluded when calculating income for housing assistance programs. It directly affects disabled veterans receiving VA disability payments, making them more likely to qualify for low-income housing programs that previously counted their VA benefits as income. The bill requires the Comptroller General to report within one year on how VA benefits are treated across HUD programs and to recommend changes for better veteran support. This creates a concrete policy change in income eligibility rules, with no immediate financial impact on programs beyond the new exclusion.
