This bill allows utility and telecom companies to report on-time payment history for services like electricity, gas, and internet to credit bureaus, helping consumers build credit who may lack traditional credit history. It specifically permits reporting on lease payments for housing (including HUD-subsidized units) and utility/telecom payments, but only includes payment-related details - not usage data like how much electricity was used. The bill also prohibits companies from reporting late payments for customers in approved payment plans (e.g., deferred payments or debt forgiveness). A government study will later assess the impact of this reporting on consumers.
The BUILD Housing Act streamlines environmental review processes for federal housing assistance programs. It allows the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to designate certain HUD-funded housing projects as "special projects" for environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), reducing administrative steps. This directly affects HUD housing programs, particularly enabling federally recognized tribes to assume environmental review responsibilities instead of relying solely on states or local governments. The bill modifies existing law to include tribes as eligible entities for these reviews, using the federal definition of "Indian Tribe" from the Native American Housing Act.
HR 6293, the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, updates federal definitions to include manufactured homes built without a permanent chassis under the same regulatory framework as traditional manufactured homes. It requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish new labeling standards (including distinct data plates and invoice notations) for these homes and mandates that states certify they treat them equally to homes on permanent chassis in areas like financing, installation, and sales. States must submit initial certification within one year (or two years for biennial legislatures) and annual recertifications to confirm compliance, with non-compliant states prohibited from allowing the sale or installation of these homes. The bill directly affects manufacturers, state regulators, and homebuyers purchasing manufactured homes without permanent chassis, ensuring consistent federal and state treatment.
HR 5907 authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to award grants to local governments, tribal entities, and municipal organizations to select pre-approved construction plans for mixed-income housing structures. These structures include duplexes, cottage courts, and other small-scale developments (up to 25 units) designed to promote affordability, with a specific requirement that 10% of annual funding must support rural areas. The bill mandates grantees to report on housing impacts, permits issued using the approved designs, and units built, while requiring the return of funds if selected designs aren’t adopted within five years. It focuses on streamlining housing approvals through pre-reviewed plans, not construction funding, to increase affordable housing supply.
The CONSTRUCTS Act of 2025 creates a federal grant program to fund training programs at community colleges and career schools focused on residential construction careers. It targets rural areas and underserved populations - including veterans, low-income individuals, and groups with historically low representation in construction - to develop skills in trades like carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, and HVAC. Grants, totaling $20 million annually from 2026-2030, require flexible scheduling, partnerships with construction employers, and plans to increase affordable housing supply through workforce development. The bill directly affects community colleges in rural or underserved regions and their students seeking residential construction careers.
The CONSTRUCTS Act of 2025 establishes a federal grant program to fund training programs for residential construction careers at rural community colleges and similar institutions. It prioritizes serving rural communities and underserved populations - including low-income individuals, veterans, and groups with historically low construction industry employment - through competitive grants. Grantees must create or expand training in specific trades (like carpentry, plumbing, and electrical work), form partnerships with construction businesses to ensure fair wages, and offer flexible scheduling and job placement support. The program authorizes $20 million annually from 2025 to 2029 to increase skilled construction workers and support affordable housing development.
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.
HR 2684, the Dignity in Housing Act of 2025, requires the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct biennial inspections of public housing developments with 100 or more units. This applies directly to large public housing projects nationwide, ensuring they meet maintenance standards. The bill mandates inspections be performed by HUD staff or approved external inspectors (not housing agency employees) and requires all inspection results to be published online for public access. These changes aim to improve transparency and accountability in maintaining large public housing properties.
The Modular Housing Production Act requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to review Federal Housing Administration (FHA) construction financing programs and identify barriers preventing modular home developers from using these programs, such as restrictive payment schedules for construction. Within one year, the Secretary must publish a report with recommendations to remove these barriers, followed by a rulemaking process to establish an alternative payment schedule for modular home financing, including public input. The bill also authorizes a grant to study a standardized code for modular homes to improve design coordination and financing alignment. This legislation aims to streamline access to FHA financing for modular home developers without changing existing housing standards.
This bill (S 1621) reverses recent actions that weakened fair housing enforcement by requiring the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to repeal a March 2025 rule that eliminated mandatory fair housing compliance reviews. It mandates HUD to define "affirmatively furthering fair housing" to include actively addressing segregation and disparities, extending this duty to all housing programs. The bill also creates a public, quarterly-updated database tracking all fair housing complaints by protected class, type of housing, and resolution status, and requires a report on discrimination risks in digital housing platforms like rental apps and AI-driven mortgage tools. It directly affects HUD, fair housing enforcement agencies, and individuals experiencing housing discrimination based on protected characteristics.
