21st Century ROAD To Housing Act Becomes Law

Industry rejoices at bipartisan move
by Keziah Olsen Morris, LASN

After a bump in the road this spring, various industry associations are congratulating Congress on the passage of this bipartisan bill to make homeownership more accessible through addressing unnecessary hang-ups in the planning and building process. Photo Credit: Ernie Journeys on Unsplash

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After a bump in the road this spring, various industry associations are congratulating Congress on the passage of this bipartisan bill to make homeownership more accessible through addressing unnecessary hang-ups in the planning and building process. Photo Credit: Ernie Journeys on Unsplash

Since LASN last reported that the Senate had passed H.R.6644, also known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and the National Association of Home Builder's (NAHB) displeasure with some of the changes proposed, the bill has been amended to industry satisfaction and passed to become law. The NAHB applauded the result, stating, "By reducing regulatory barriers, helping builders increase supply, and expanding opportunities for homeownership and rental housing, this landmark law is an important step towards easing the nation's housing affordability crisis." The American Planning Association (APA) was also thrilled, saying, "This bill lays the foundation for real change by advancing planning solutions that lower costs, increase opportunity, and improve communities." Among many changes, the law will allow the use of pre-approved home designs to speed up the permit process, modernize the HOME program that provides federal funding for state-driven increases in affordable housing, and supporting local financial institutions to facilitate the home loan process.

As seen in LASN magazine, August 2026.