Housing (Renters) in United States

in committee · United States · House Sep 3, 2025

HR 5110: Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act of 2025

HR 5110, the Federal Disaster Housing Stability Act of 2025, prevents landlords and mortgage servicers from taking certain actions against tenants and homeowners during declared disasters. It prohibits evictions and late fees for renters in covered dwellings (most residential rentals) for 120 days after a disaster declaration, and blocks foreclosure proceedings for covered mortgage loans (standard home loans on 1-4 unit properties) for six months. The law applies to disasters declared under federal, state, or tribal emergency authorities, ensuring renters cannot be forced out for nonpayment and homeowners cannot face foreclosure sales during this period. It directly affects tenants in rental housing and homeowners with qualifying mortgages in disaster areas.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Mortgages Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · House Jan 3, 2025

HR 115: No Free Rent for Freeloaders Act of 2025

This bill requires HUD's Inspector General to annually track and publish the total federal subsidies paid for public housing units occupied by tenants who don't comply with housing occupancy rules (Section 2). It then automatically cuts that same amount from HUD's management budget the following year (Section 3). The bill directly affects public housing agencies and the federal budget, not individual tenants. It creates a financial mechanism to reduce funding for noncompliant units, without changing tenant eligibility requirements. The policy change is a budget adjustment tied to compliance monitoring.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Housing

Sub-Topics Property Development Renters

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 11, 2025

S 970: Helping More Families Save Act

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.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · House Dec 19, 2025

HR 4100: End Junk Fees for Renters Act

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.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · House Jul 14, 2025

HR 4369: End Tenant Credit Screening Act

HR 4369 prohibits landlords and property managers from using credit reports to screen tenants for rental housing. It bans credit checks for decisions like approving applications, setting security deposits, or determining lease terms. The law applies to all housing providers and overrides tenant consent to use credit reports, with one exception for reconsidering denied applications. This changes how housing providers assess applicants by removing credit history as a factor in rental decisions.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · House May 1, 2025

HR 3133: HAVEN Act

The HAVEN Act (HR 3133) makes several key changes to federal housing assistance programs. It reduces the percentage used to calculate rental payments from 30% to 20% for several housing programs, increasing assistance for recipients. The bill expands the Housing Choice Voucher Program by adding 500,000 vouchers in 2026 and increasing by 500,000 each year through 2029. It also creates housing navigation grants to help families find housing, expands anti-discrimination protections to include "lawful source of income," and requires zip code-based fair market rents for housing vouchers starting in 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 6, 2025

S 885: Strategy and Investment in Rural Housing Preservation Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Homeownership Renters Tenant Rights Tags Agriculture Rural Communities

in committee · United States · Senate Dec 2, 2025

S 3309: Building Housing for the American Dream Act

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Housing ✓ Immigration

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Renters Citizenship & Naturalization DACA & Dreamers

in committee · United States · House Sep 17, 2025

HR 5443: Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025

HR 5443, the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025, expands federal housing anti-discrimination protections to include "source of income," "veteran status," and "military status." It defines "source of income" broadly to cover housing vouchers, Social Security benefits, child support, and other lawful income sources like savings or gifts. The bill adds these categories to all existing anti-discrimination provisions in the Fair Housing Act, prohibiting housing providers from refusing to rent or sell based on these factors. This directly affects renters and homeowners using housing assistance, veterans, active military members, and individuals receiving non-wage income.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Homeownership Renters Tenant Rights Veteran Housing

in committee · United States · House Jun 20, 2025

HR 4060: Service Member Housing Relief Act

HR 4060, the Service Member Housing Relief Act, adjusts housing stipend rules for active-duty military personnel. It lowers the threshold requiring housing cost relief from 20% to 15% of a service member's income, meaning more members will qualify for extra housing assistance when their rent exceeds this lower percentage. The bill removes an outdated provision (subparagraph C) from the existing law governing these stipends. This change directly affects uniformed service members facing high housing costs, providing broader access to financial relief through a simplified calculation.

Topics ✓ Housing

Sub-Topics Renters

All housing bills