CSH applauds the bipartisan passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which cleared the U.S. House of Representatives this week by a vote of 358-32 and now heads to the President’s desk. The Senate passed the same legislation on June 22 by a vote of 85–5.
The strong bipartisan support for this legislation reflects a shared recognition that communities across the country need more affordable housing options and practical solutions to address persistent housing shortages. CSH looks forward to the President signing the landmark legislation.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is the most comprehensive federal housing legislation in a generation. The bill gives communities stronger tools to build and preserve affordable housing including reauthorizing the HOME program that local partners rely on, making homes easier to finance and develop, and clearing the red tape that slows projects and drives up costs. These are practical changes that will help more people find a home they can afford.
“When communities have the tools to build more affordable housing, everyone benefits,” said Deb DeSantis, President and CEO of CSH. “For people with disabilities and complex health needs with extremely low incomes, access to stable housing can be life changing. The bipartisan passage of this legislation is an important step toward expanding housing opportunities and helping more people find a stable place to call home and to thrive.”
Supportive housing relies on many of the same financing tools, development processes, and local resources that support affordable housing development more broadly. By strengthening those systems and reducing barriers, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act will help communities expand housing opportunities and create more pathways to stability for people who need them most.
This legislation is an important step forward and demonstrates what is possible when leaders come together around practical, bipartisan solutions to housing challenges. We commend the bipartisan leadership that carried this bill through the Senate, including Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.). We are proud to have worked with Rep. Mike Flood and Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, chairman and ranking member of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, along with House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill and Ranking Member Maxine Waters, whose partnership helped bring this moment within reach.
We encourage Congress to build on this progress by continuing to advance bipartisan policies that expand supportive housing opportunities and help people with disabilities and complex health needs remain stably housed in their communities. CSH looks forward to partnering with communities across the country to ensure these new tools help create more supportive housing where it is needed most.
