The No Homeless Detention Centers Act prohibits recipients of federal housing funds from forcing homeless individuals to live in government facilities or requiring them to perform labor in exchange for shelter. The bill also bans local and state authorities from punishing people for engaging in basic life-sustaining activities, such as sleeping or resting, on public property. These restrictions apply to actions taken by law enforcement officers or private contractors acting under federal authority. By tying these prohibitions to federal funding, the legislation aims to prevent the use of criminal penalties or involuntary confinement to address homelessness.
The Housing Price Transparency Act requires landlords and property managers who use algorithms to set rental prices to clearly disclose this practice to tenants. The Federal Trade Commission is authorized to enforce these rules by treating violations as unfair or deceptive acts, while state attorneys general may also bring civil actions on behalf of their residents if federal enforcement is not pending. Individuals injured by non-compliance can file private lawsuits in federal court to seek injunctions and recover damages of at least $10,000 per violation or actual monetary losses, whichever is greater.
The Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis Act of 2026 establishes a bipartisan, 18-member task force to study how a lack of affordable housing affects various aspects of life and government spending. The group will evaluate impacts on areas such as education, employment, health, and regional economic growth, while also quantifying the costs imposed on federal, state, and local programs due to housing shortages. Members will be appointed by congressional leadership within 180 days of enactment and must submit a final report with recommendations to Congress before the task force terminates two years after all members are appointed.
The Green New Deal for Public Housing Act directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide grants to public housing agencies and tribal entities for the comprehensive rehabilitation, energy upgrades, and modernization of public housing stock. These funds are intended to transform properties into zero-carbon homes by installing renewable energy systems, electrifying appliances, and repairing infrastructure, while also establishing workforce development programs that offer training, apprenticeships, and stipends to residents and local low-income workers. The bill mandates strict labor standards, including prevailing wages and the use of U.S.-made materials, and requires agencies to maintain or increase the total number of public housing units while prioritizing resident participation through elected councils and community engagement processes.
The American Dream Accounts Act of 2026 creates a new type of tax-advantaged trust designed to help U.S. citizens save for purchasing their first home. This account allows individuals to contribute up to $7,500 annually, or $10,000 if they are over 35, with a lifetime limit of $250,000, and the funds must be managed by a bank or a qualified administrator. Money withdrawn from the account remains tax-free only if used to buy a first home, provided the buyer has not previously claimed this benefit and the home is kept for at least three years. The bill also permits rolling over distributions into other American Dream Accounts or Roth IRAs and imposes taxes on excess contributions or withdrawals used for non-qualified expenses.
The Homeowners Premium Tax Reduction Act of 2026 allows individual taxpayers to deduct up to $10,000 of their annual homeowners insurance premiums from their federal income taxes. This deduction applies specifically to insurance paid for a person's principal residence and is treated as an adjustment to income, meaning it reduces taxable earnings before other deductions are calculated. The law takes effect for tax years that begin after the bill is enacted, providing a direct financial benefit to homeowners who pay qualifying insurance costs.
The Build Homes, Not Hate Act of 2026 directs the Federal Emergency Management Agency to create a grant program aimed at reducing homelessness by funding new and existing housing units, emergency shelters, and support services for individuals and families. The legislation appropriates $70 billion for these efforts, allocating at least $54 billion for housing construction and rehabilitation, while reserving $14 billion for direct services like rental assistance, behavioral health support, and job training. Funds may be used for various housing solutions, including modular homes and converting vacant buildings, with a preference for areas experiencing high rates of unsheltered homelessness or rising rent costs. A specific provision prohibits the use of any funds from this program for immigration enforcement, detention, or border wall construction. Additionally, the bill permanently rescinds $70 billion previously designated for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to finance this new housing initiative.
The Protect Our Homes Act creates a new loan program to help homeowners associations and similar residential communities repair common areas damaged by natural disasters or implement measures to prevent future damage. This initiative allows these organizations to borrow money from banks to cover costs for fixing water, wind, or fire damage to shared spaces like roofs and hallways, as well as to upgrade properties in areas recently affected by disasters. Loans are capped at $500,000 for most borrowers and up to $2 million for major employers in disaster zones, with interest rates tied to federal debt averages and terms lasting up to thirty years. The program also waives collateral requirements for smaller loans of $14,000 or less and permits borrowers to defer payments if they face financial hardship.
The Making Condos Safer and Affordable Act of 2026 expands federal mortgage insurance options for condominium projects to help finance repairs and replacements of shared facilities like roofs, elevators, and common areas. It allows the governing body of a condominium to take out loans secured by future mandatory payments from individual unit owners, with the government potentially insuring up to 90 percent of the project cost. Additionally, the bill modifies existing rehabilitation loan programs to let individual condo owners use these funds to pay for special assessments related to building improvements or to build reserves for future maintenance. The legislation also streamlines regulations for managing these rehabilitation projects and adjusts loan limits to better reflect the costs of such repairs.
The Servicemember Residence Protection Act of 2026 prevents a servicemember's time in military service from counting toward the legal period required to claim ownership of property through adverse possession. This change directly protects the real estate interests of uniformed service members by ensuring their service time does not contribute to losing their property rights. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to update its website with resources on securing, leasing, and managing real property while on military duty. These provisions aim to clarify and safeguard property rights for service members without altering other existing laws regarding adverse possession.
