WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congress has approved a sweeping bipartisan housing package that includes two measures backed by Sen. John Fetterman aimed at preserving existing housing stock and helping local governments address housing shortages, sending the legislation to President Donald Trump for signature.
The U.S. House passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act by a 358-32 vote this week, clearing the final congressional hurdle for legislation that combines multiple housing initiatives focused on affordability, supply, and community development.
Among the provisions are Fetterman’s Whole-Home Repairs Act and Housing Supply Frameworks Act, two proposals designed to address different drivers of the nation’s housing shortage.
The Whole-Home Repairs Act would establish a federal program modeled after a Pennsylvania initiative that provides grants and forgivable loans to homeowners and small landlords for critical repairs and weatherization projects. Supporters argue the measure could help preserve aging housing stock and prevent homes from falling into disrepair.
According to congressional backers, an estimated 6.7 million Americans live in homes with significant deficiencies, including leaking roofs, mold, faulty wiring, or inadequate heating and cooling systems.
“I’ve consistently maintained that our housing crisis needs real solutions that help address the problems at the center,” Fetterman said. “One ensures families can stay in their homes, and the other helps state partners enact zoning reforms.”
Pennsylvania state Sen. Nikil Saval, who championed the state’s Whole-Home Repairs Program, said the federal legislation expands on a model intended to preserve housing and support residents struggling with aging properties.
“When we passed the Whole-Home Repairs Program, our hope was to provide Pennsylvanians with the means to stay warm, safe, and dry in their homes,” Saval said. “Today’s passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act shows the realization of this hope.”
The package also includes the Housing Supply Frameworks Act, a bipartisan proposal sponsored by Fetterman and Sens. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Mike Crapo and Thom Tillis.
That measure directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to provide guidance and technical resources to states and municipalities seeking to revise zoning and land-use policies that may limit housing development.
“The affordable housing crisis is squeezing too many Americans out of the dream of homeownership,” Crapo said. “The Housing Supply Frameworks Act contains no federal mandate, but would empower municipalities to choose zoning reforms uniquely tailored to the needs of their local communities.”
Tillis said the legislation is intended to help local governments modernize regulations and expand housing availability.
“This bipartisan legislation gives local communities the tools they need to modernize zoning and land use policies to make housing more affordable and accessible,” Tillis said.
Supporters of the broader package contend the combined approach addresses both the preservation of existing homes and the construction of new housing, two issues frequently cited by housing advocates and policymakers as contributors to affordability challenges nationwide.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act now heads to the president’s desk for consideration.
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