Yesterday, the House Committee on Financial Services began a two-day markup of 21 bills related to housing affordability and banking reforms. NH&RA supports the following bills noticed in the markup:

  • H.R. 6644: Housing for the 21st Century Act, which includes:
    • The HOME Reform Act of 2025 (pg.44), which reauthorizes the program and makes the following changes:
      • Exempts HOME-funded non-infrastructure projects from Build America, Buy America requirements;
      • Provides categorial exemptions for certain projects for environmental reviews under NEPA; and
      • Creates a “small project” exemption from Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Act of 1968.
      • Upon introduction, leadership of the Committee and leadership of the Housing and Insurance Subcommittee shared strong bipartisan support of the bill.
    • The Community Investment and Prosperity Act (pg. 90), which increases the public welfare investment limits for national banks and Federal Reserve member banks from 15 to 20 percent.
    • Many of the 40+ bills highlighted during the Building Capacity: Reducing Government Roadblocks to Housing Supply hearing in early December.
  • H.R. 1078: Respect State Housing Laws Act
    • This bill repeals the lingering CARES Act, Covid-era 30-day eviction notice requirement in federally assisted housing, shifting eviction authority back to states.

What They’re Saying:

Chairman French Hill (R-AR) said in his opening statement of the markup:

“Our Committee has spent countless hours crafting a bill to create real, tangible solutions that will streamline housing development and affordability by updating outdated programs, removing unnecessary federal requirements, and increasing local control.”

Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-CA) said in her opening statement:

“I never thought today would come but I am so pleased that we are finally here, marking up a bipartisan housing bill at long last…This bill is long overdue, and it’s a first step to expand affordable housing, modernize key programs, and help more families achieve the dream of homeownership.”

What’s Next: The markup continues today at 9:30 am ET and can be livestreamed here.