WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate voted Thursday to approve a bipartisan housing package aimed at increasing the supply of homes, lowering construction barriers, and helping homeowners repair aging properties, sending the measure to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.
What This Means for You
- The bill targets the housing shortage by encouraging the construction of more homes.
- Federal programs would be updated to reduce delays and lower building costs.
- Grants and forgivable loans could help homeowners repair aging houses.
The legislation, known as the ROAD to Housing Act, passed the Senate in an 89-10 vote. The package includes the Whole-Home Repairs Act, a measure supported by U.S. Sens. John Fetterman (D-PA) and Dave McCormick (R-PA).
If approved by the House, the proposal would modify several federal housing programs to encourage home construction and address rising housing costs. The senators wrote in a joint opinion piece published by The Philadelphia Inquirer that the bill is intended to “make it easier to build more homes, more affordably, while also preserving and repairing the housing stock we already have.”
Housing Shortage Driving Costs
According to the senators, Pennsylvania currently has about 100,000 fewer homes than needed and could face a shortage of 185,000 homes by 2035.
They wrote that the shortage has contributed to home prices increasing 75 percent over the past five years. More than 1 million Pennsylvania households now spend over 30 percent of their income on housing, a common benchmark used to measure housing affordability.
More than half of the state’s housing stock is also over 50 years old, which can increase maintenance costs for homeowners.
“That combination — too few and too many aging homes — creates a squeeze felt from Erie to Philly,” Fetterman and McCormick wrote, adding that younger families are delaying major life decisions and workers sometimes decline jobs because housing is unavailable or unaffordable.
Key Provisions of the Bill
The legislation focuses on three broad strategies to address housing supply and affordability.
The bill seeks to increase housing supply by reducing regulatory delays and lowering construction costs that can slow development.
It also proposes modernizing federal housing programs to improve oversight and ensure resources reach communities more efficiently.
Finally, the legislation gives states and local governments greater flexibility to pursue housing development that reflects local needs.
Repairs for Aging Homes
One component of the package, the Whole-Home Repairs Act, would provide grants and forgivable loans to homeowners to repair or upgrade aging properties.
The senators said the program is designed to help residents remain in older homes while stabilizing neighborhoods, particularly in areas with older housing stock.
“Our Whole-Home Repairs legislation… supports homeowners, especially in markets like ours with many historic residences, by offering grants and forgivable loans for repairs and upgrades of aging homes,” the senators wrote.
Next Steps
The ROAD to Housing Act now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives. If approved there, it would go to the president for signature before becoming law.
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