Housing for the 21st Century Act
December 11, 2025
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The Frame
This legislation would change how local governments regulate land use and building construction by providing federal guidelines that encourage higher density, reduced parking requirements, and faster approval processes for new housing developments.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Housing Developers
Developers may see changes in the speed and requirements of the project approval process and potential new state-level appeal rights.
Local Zoning Boards
These boards will be subject to new federal guidelines and potential state-level oversight regarding their zoning and permitting decisions.
Assisted Housing Residents
Residents may be impacted by new programs like the eviction helpline, temperature sensor pilot, and changes to financial literacy programs.
Last recorded activity December 11, 2025.
Introduced.
Summary
Key Facts
- Requires the HUD Assistant Secretary to publish national guidelines and best practices for state and local zoning frameworks within 3 years.
- Defines 'affordable housing' as housing where monthly payments do not exceed 30% of a household's monthly income.
- Mandates a 2-year public comment period and the creation of a task force including urban planners, developers, and community members to draft zoning guidelines.
- Recommends zoning reforms including eliminating parking minimums, increasing building height limits, and allowing duplexes/triplexes by-right.
- Proposes a state-level appeals process for developers whose affordable housing projects are rejected by local zoning boards.
- Includes provisions for an eviction helpline and a temperature sensor pilot program for assisted housing.
- Directs the GAO to conduct studies on housing supply and related regulatory obstacles.
- Establishes a family self-sufficiency escrow expansion pilot program.
- Requires interagency coordination between HUD, USDA, and the VA regarding housing programs.
- Mandates annual testimony and disclosure requirements for certain housing providers receiving federal funds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does this bill force my local city to change its zoning laws?
What is the 'by-right' development mentioned in the bill?
How does this bill define affordable housing?
Why It Matters
This legislation would change how local governments regulate land use and building construction by providing federal guidelines that encourage higher density, reduced parking requirements, and faster approval processes for new housing developments.
News Coverage
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Landmark federal housing law tries new ways to boost local housing
A residential duplex set for construction in Chicago.
What the ROAD to Housing Act means for Chicago
How federal housing bill could impact the Bay Area
Bias ratings based on AllSides / Media Bias/Fact Check
Lobbying Activity
AARP
2026
“P.L. 119-21, One Big Beautiful Bill Act H.R. 8867, Planning for Long-term Aging Needs (PLAN) Act H.R. 5861, Legacy Act of 2025 H.R. 9393, the Lower Costs, More Transparency Act. H.R. 9396, the Prior Authorization Accountability Act. S. 4916, the Aging with Artificial Intelligence Act. H.R. 8100, Safe Staffing Saves Lives Act. S. 3886, Nurses Belong in Nursing Homes Act. H.R. 6766/S. 3492, the Essential Caregivers Act of 2025. H.R. 7966/S. 4118, Hospice Care Accountability, Reform, and Enforcement (Hospice CARE) Act. S. 2120, the Older Americans Act Reauthorization Act of 2025 H.R. 5575, the Firefighters Assisting Seniors to Emergency Response (FASTER) Act of 2025. H.R. 3954/S. 4641, Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act. H.R.5554/S.2831, Stand Strong for Medicare Act. S. 3439/H.R. 6735, Connecting Caregivers to Medicare Act and efforts related to the bill S. 1227/H.R. 2491, Alleviating Barriers for Caregivers Act S. 668/H.R. 3183, Supporting Access to Falls Education and Prevention and Strengthening Training Efforts and Promoting Safety Initiatives (SAFE STEPS) for Veterans Act of 2025 CMS-1851-P, Hospice Proposed rule. CMS-1843-P, Skilled Nursing Facility Proposed rule. CMS-1844-P, Home Health Proposed rule. No bill number. Health care transparency. No bill number. Discussed use of artificial intelligence and health data technology. No bill number. Discussed health-related policies and activities around the fall respiratory virus season. No bill number. Discussed health insurance affordability proposals. No bill number. Discussed Nursing Home staffing standards, safety, and quality. No bill number. Discussed Nursing home transparency and ownership requirements. No bill number. Discussed home health, hospice, and long-term care. No bill number. Discussed falls prevention. No bill number. Discussed social isolation. No bill number. Discussed HUD Assisted Living Requirements No bill number. Discussed family caregiving. No bill number. Discussed AARP paper on Medicare Caregiver Training Services. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid community engagement interim final rule, including the family caregiver exemption. No bill number. Discussed the paid direct care workforce in long-term care. No bill number. Discussed the unaffordability of long-term care. No bill number. Discussed Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program and Medicaid HCBS spousal impoverishment protections. No bill number. Discussed Medicaid fraud and family caregivers, Medicaid self-direction programs. No bill number. Discussed sandwich generation family caregiver hearing and submitted a statement for the record discussing family caregivers and sandwich generation caregivers, programs that support them, AARP caregiving resources, and federal policies to support sandwich generation caregivers and caregivers more broadly. No bill number. Discussed long-term care. No bill number. CMS-2453-NC; Medicaid Program; 2028 Medicaid Home and Community-Based Services Quality Measure Set Submitted comments No bill number. Discussed expanding access to home care. No bill number. Discussed the increasing cost of home care No bill number. Discussed HSA use for telehealth chronic care management services/subscriptions. No bill number. Discussed artificial intelligence and technology”
BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP
on behalf of DIGNITYMOVES
MINDSET ADVOCACY, LLC
on behalf of NESTIDD
BALLARD PARTNERS, LLC
on behalf of BB LIVING
Voting Record
Total
99
Yes
89
No
10
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (99)
Adam Schiff
D · yes
Richard Durbin
D · yes
Deb Fischer
R · yes
Lisa Blunt Rochester
D · yes
James Justice
R · yes
Steve Daines
R · yes
Cindy Hyde-Smith
R · yes
Mitch McConnell
R · yes
Amy Klobuchar
D · yes
Tina Smith
D · yes
Roger Wicker
R · yes
John Cornyn
R · yes
Timothy Kaine
D · yes
Richard Blumenthal
D · yes
Rick Scott
R · no
Jeanne Shaheen
D · yes
Chuck Grassley
R · yes
Tammy Duckworth
D · yes
Raphael Warnock
D · yes
Jon Ossoff
D · yes
Chris Van Hollen
D · yes
Elissa Slotkin
D · yes
Elizabeth Warren
D · yes
John Fetterman
D · yes
+ 75 more
Total
395
Yes
386
No
9
Present
0
Not Voting
0
Abstain
0
How they voted (395)
Michelle Fischbach
R · yes
Sharice Davids
D · yes
Claudia Tenney
R · yes
Aaron Bean
R · yes
Cleo Fields
D · yes
Jim Jordan
R · yes
Jason Crow
D · yes
Beth Van Duyne
R · yes
John McGuire
R · yes
Pete Sessions
R · yes
Lloyd Doggett
D · yes
Cliff Bentz
R · yes
Vince Fong
R · yes
Darrell Issa
R · yes
Wesley Bell
D · yes
Mike Ezell
R · yes
Randy Fine
R · yes
Maria Salazar
R · yes
April McClain Delaney
D · yes
Michael Baumgartner
R · yes
Veronica Escobar
D · yes
Valerie Foushee
D · yes
Marlin Stutzman
R · yes
Katherine Clark
D · yes
+ 371 more
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Federalization of Zoning
The bill represents a significant shift toward using federal guidelines to influence local land-use decisions, which are typically handled at the municipal level.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.congress.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance85How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy60Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment20Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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