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.
The Housing for All Act of 2025 is a comprehensive federal housing bill that allocates significant funding to address housing shortages and homelessness. It provides $45 billion for the Housing Trust Fund, $40 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and expands housing choice vouchers by 500,000 in 2025 with annual increases to 1 million by 2028, prioritizing individuals at risk of homelessness. The bill establishes a Racial Equity Commission to examine structural racism in housing and creates new programs including safe parking initiatives, eviction protection grants, and mobile crisis intervention teams. It directly affects vulnerable populations including people with disabilities, racial minorities, elderly individuals, veterans, and those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The legislation also requires a GAO report on eviction data and promotes inclusive transit-oriented development to enhance climate resilience.
The Liberty City Rising Act requires federal housing agencies to implement new safety standards for public and assisted housing in neighborhoods designated as high-crime areas. It defines "high-crime areas" using recent violent crime data and mandates that housing agencies establish security measures (like cameras, locks, and lighting) tailored to each property’s needs, plus provide anonymous hotlines for tenants to report crime. The bill also directs HUD to prioritize funding for safety upgrades in these areas through the Capital Fund. Agencies must make initial high-crime area determinations within 90 days of enactment and establish full safety standards within one year. These changes directly affect public housing agencies and property owners receiving federal housing assistance in designated high-crime neighborhoods.
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.
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.
The HOME Act of 2025 establishes a framework for addressing "unconscionable pricing" of residential rentals and single-family housing during declared affordable housing crises. It prohibits landlords and sellers from charging prices that are "unconscionably excessive" during these crisis periods, which HUD could declare based on specific economic indicators like median home prices, household income, and mortgage rates. The bill creates a new Housing Monitoring and Enforcement Unit within HUD to collect housing market data, investigate potential market manipulation, and enforce the prohibitions using mechanisms similar to those employed by the Federal Trade Commission. It also requires HUD to investigate housing market practices, submit reports to Congress, and deposit penalties into the Housing Trust Fund to support affordable housing for low-income families. The law would give HUD authority to intervene in housing markets during declared crises while maintaining existing state enforcement options.
S 2827, the Fair Housing Improvement Act of 2025, expands the Fair Housing Act to prohibit discrimination based on source of income, veteran status, and military status. It directly affects renters and homebuyers using housing assistance (like vouchers or Social Security benefits), veterans, and military members, while requiring landlords and housing providers to comply with these new protections. Key provisions explicitly add these categories to existing anti-discrimination clauses in the Fair Housing Act, defining "source of income" to include housing vouchers, government benefits, spousal support, and other lawful income streams. The bill also strengthens protections against intimidation in fair housing cases by adding these categories to existing civil rights language.
The Housing Is a Human Right Act of 2025 creates new federal programs to address homelessness and housing instability. It establishes a CDBG Plus program to fund permanent affordable housing, supportive services, and basic infrastructure like public bathrooms and rest areas for homeless individuals. The bill prohibits criminalizing homelessness (such as sleeping in public) and requires jurisdictions to adopt "Housing First" approaches that connect people to housing without preconditions like sobriety requirements. It also creates new taxes on luxury real estate sales and large landlords to fund these programs, and includes provisions to help homeless people vote by removing barriers like ID requirements. The bill directly affects people experiencing homelessness, housing instability, and those who are cost-burdened (spending over 22% of income on housing), as well as local governments and housing providers.
This bill prohibits federal agencies from penalizing homeless individuals for engaging in life-sustaining activities on public land, such as sleeping, storing belongings, accessing food/water, or using public spaces. It requires federal agencies to provide accessible, free shelter alternatives (like tiny homes with basic amenities or parking with sanitation) if they cannot prove adequate indoor space is available without requiring daily reapplication or charging fees. Individuals harmed by violations can sue federal agencies for injunctive relief and attorney fees, and homeless people facing charges for basic survival activities may use "lack of shelter access" as a legal defense. The bill directly affects homeless individuals using federal public spaces, aiming to replace criminal penalties with housing access.
S 2148, the "End Junk Fees for Renters Act," bans specific fees landlords can charge renters in properties with federal mortgage backing (such as FHA, VA, or USDA loans). It prohibits application fees and tenant screening fees, caps late rent fees at 3% of monthly rent after a 15-day grace period, and requires landlords to disclose total monthly costs, past tenant litigation, and rent history upfront. The bill applies directly to renters in "covered dwelling units" (properties tied to federal housing programs) and mandates regulators like HUD to enforce these rules. It also requires landlords to detail all fees and property issues before lease signing.
