Washington, DC - The Young People's Alliance commends the passage of the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, or H.R. 6644. This is a landmark bill that will lower the cost of homeownership and rent through several policies that make it easier to build. It is the first major piece of housing reform legislation in decades and has received massive support from both Democrats and Republicans.
After months of negotiation, the bill passed the House on June 23rd with a 358-32 vote, after receiving an 85-5 vote in the Senate on June 22nd. ROAD has had rare support from both sides of the aisle being championed by the likes of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Tim Scott, and President Donald Trump, to whose desk this bill now moves for final signature into law.
The ROAD Act addresses record-high housing costs through several pro-supply initiatives such as:
• Rewards communities that grow their housing supply through a $200 million annual competitive grant program to reward local governments that reduce regulatory barriers, implement density bonuses, or streamline permitting (The Innovation Fund)
• Cuts the cost and delay of construction by streamlining federal environmental reviews and expanding exemptions for small, infill, and rehabilitation projects (The Build Now Act)
• Expands manufactured housing by allowing homes without a permanent steel chassis, so they're financed like real estate, and by raising FHA Title I loan limits for home purchases
• Restricts large private equity companies from owning more than 350 single-family homes (Homeownership for Main Street America)
"The American Dream of homeownership should be within reach for all young people. ROAD will help young people realize that dream. It will spur housing supply and lower costs through rewards for communities that make it easier to build, streamlined environmental reviews, and restrictions on Wall Street buying the homes families want to live in. Above all, it proves that housing affordability is not partisan. Young people can secure wins that help our generation and work towards a future where politics works in the interest of every young American." Mick Tobin, Advocacy Director, Young People's Alliance
For decades, homeownership has become increasingly out of reach for young people due to key issues that this bill aims to address, like supply. YPA is proud to have advocated for this bill across the country. Our students made over a hundred calls and emails to legislators as it moved through the House and Senate, met directly with key offices on both sides of the aisle, and were one of the few youth-led organizations to sign onto coalition letters urging ROAD's passage.
We urge President Trump to put political differences aside and pass the ROAD Act as is, without non-housing issues attached, championing the futures of young people nationwide. Owning a home has always been a part of the American Dream, and through the collaboration of legislators from both parties, we are one step closer to it becoming a reality.
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About Young People's Alliance: Young People's Alliance is a bipartisan, Gen Z-led nonprofit with 4,000+ members across 90+ campuses in 16 states. The organization is focused on creating a new American Dream through advocacy on creating opportunity, affordability, and community for young people.
Contact: press@youngpeoplesalliance.org