Rural News
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Jennifer Emerling / There Is More Work To Be Done
Housing Assistance Council (HAC) Statement on Passage of House Housing Bill
Housing is the largest monthly expense for American families, and the housing affordability crisis is as urgent in small town and rural America as it is in the nation’s cities and suburbs. Over one-third of rural households are considered housing cost-burdened—paying more than 30 percent of their income toward rent or a mortgage.
On May 20, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a revised bipartisan housing supply and affordability package that includes longstanding rural priorities. This is the much-anticipated next step in the nearly year-long bicameral, bipartisan process of negotiating a package of reforms to modernize federal housing programs. HAC applauds the House for this important step forward.
The House version of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes several bills that HAC strongly supports, most significantly the Rural Housing Service Reform Act, led by Congressmen Nunn (R-IA) and Cleaver (D-MO) and Senators Smith (D-MN) and Rounds (R-SD). This bill would provide the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Housing Service (RHS) with new tools to address the preservation of its critical multifamily portfolio; authorize successful pilot programs; modernize the single-family housing programs; and improve USDA’s internal infrastructure, technology, and reporting.
“We are thrilled to see support for top rural housing priorities in the House as part of this revised bill,” said David Lipsetz, President and CEO of the Housing Assistance Council. “For decades, USDA’s RHS has been a lifeline for rural families, seniors, and workers, investing in both rental housing and homeownership. The revised House housing package would make sure these programs remain sustainable and well-run into the future.”
Other key provisions would help rural communities address their disproportionate repair needs generated by aging housing stock often coupled with low home values and confront less red tape around environmental reviews where USDA and HUD jointly fund a housing project.
This package began to come together at the initiative of the Senate Banking Committee in the summer of 2025 and has evolved through several iterations between the House and Senate since. Last month, over 200 national and local organizations signed on to a letter circulated by HAC supporting the inclusion of the RHS Reform Act in any final negotiated package.
This revised House bill reflects significant bipartisan collaboration and a very positive step forward for this package. At a time when affordability, and especially housing affordability, is top-of-mind for most Americans, we urge Congress to continue moving forward to bring this package to the President’s desk.
