Congress passes the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Congress has passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a comprehensive federal housing package aimed at increasing housing supply, improving affordability, and modernizing federal housing programs. The legislation now awaits presidential action. 

The bill includes several provisions that could benefit local governments, including permanently authorizing the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, expanding eligible uses of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to support new housing construction, and increasing flexibility within the HOME Investment Partnership Program. It also streamlines certain federal review processes and creates new grant opportunities to support housing development and related infrastructure. 

Importantly, the legislation does not preempt local zoning authority nor does it impose new unfunded federal mandates.  Instead, it provides communities with additional tools, funding opportunities, and flexibility to address housing challenges based on local needs and priorities. 

For more information and a detailed summary of the legislation, visit the National League of Cities' article HERE.