The House of Representatives has announced the passage of H.R. 6644, known as the Housing for the 21st Century Act, and the industry has reacted with positivity and now look to the Senate for further action.
The Housing for the 21st Century Act is a comprehensive, bipartisan legislative package that aims to increase housing supply in the U.S. through removing certain building and lending regulations, as well as adjusting certain programs overseen by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Senate has also introduced a bipartisan housing package, the Road to Housing Act passed by the Senate in July 2025. This legislation has similar goals as the House bill but with several different provisions.
As both bills have only passed their respective house of congress in which they were introduced, one path forward is reconciling the two bills into a single package. It remains to be seen what shape the final package will look like if it progresses further or is passed.
Shannon McGahn, executive vice president and chief advocacy officer of the National Association of Realtors®, said the organization “applauds” the House for passing the Act, calling it a “meaningful and bipartisan step toward addressing America’s housing affordability crisis.”
David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference (NHC), also applauded the passing of the Act, and thanked several House members who championed the Act for their “leadership in advancing solutions to America’s housing affordability crisis.”
Dworkin noted that the housing shortage “did not happen overnight,” and we can only get out of the crisis “one unit at a time, through a range of coordinated strategies that expand supply, reduce costs, and improve access to affordable homes.”
“There is no magic wand to fix this crisis, but the Housing for the 21st Century Act is an important step forward,” he added. “By modernizing outdated housing programs, reducing unnecessary barriers to development, and increasing flexibility for local communities, the Housing for the 21st Century Act helps create the conditions needed to build and preserve more affordable homes across America. The bill also appropriately emphasizes transparency, consumer protections, and accountability.”
Dworkin stated that “without significant policy action to expand supply and stabilize costs, affordability pressures will continue to deepen, displacing workers and constraining economic opportunity.”
“Addressing the shortage of affordable housing will require sustained bipartisan action. NHC looks forward to working with Congress and the administration to advance bipartisan housing legislation and help ensure it moves forward with the broadest possible support,” he concluded.
McGahn agreed with Dworkin, also stating that NAR encourages “continued bipartisan collaboration to maintain momentum and bring this bill to the President’s desk, strengthening the path to homeownership for Americans.”
“This legislation takes a comprehensive approach to increasing housing production, modernizing critical federal programs and supporting pathways to credit and homeownership,” she continued. “Today’s action reflects bipartisan recognition that solving the housing shortage requires collaboration and sustained leadership. Realtors® believe a strong housing market is foundational to a strong economy, and we look forward to working with the Senate to move this effort forward.”
