(Headline article below) Beyond relaxing the restrictions on the OCGFC investment funds that caused the housing price increases, they’re increasing the funding to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program with the outline of what they do below, and it looks ripe for abuse, especially involving non-profits. But we can trust the corrupt blue states? I wonder how much of this money was already being scammed by corrupt blue states and cities? And logically, if they can’t afford homes now, they’re just going to get wiped out by inflation and the incoming financial crash making it a waste. And a lot of poorer families have money management problems and would be better off addressing those, getting out of debt and saving for a down payment…
The government designed and implemented the HOME program to increase the amount of affordable housing for U.S citizens, especially those below the national and state poverty guidelines. The program has four main objectives:[1]
- Expand the supply of decent and affordable housing in the U.S.
- Strength the ability of state and local governments to design and implement strategies for achieving adequate supplies of decent, affordable housing
- Provide financial and technical assistance to state and local governments to develop affordable low-income housing
- Extend and strengthen partnerships among all levels of government (local and federal) and the private sector (both for-profit and non-profit organizations) in the production and operation of affordable housing
HOME funds can enable a broad range of eligible activities that provide affordable housing. Nevertheless, HUD specifies eligible activities that all governments can perform to achieve program objectives:[2]
- Home purchase or rehabilitation financing assistance – In this type of activity, the HOME program may provide a down payment for the purchase of a housing unit to a financial institution, thereby reducing the monthly mortgage payment of the loan balance for a low-income family that otherwise could not afford the monthly payment. The down payment can help fund new housing or the rehabilitation of a family’s existing housing.[2]
- Building or rehabilitation of housing for rent or ownership – In this type of activity, HOME funds may fund the building of housing units that the government provides to low-income families. The families either pay a monthly rent or may purchase the housing unit for an affordable price.[2]
- Site acquisition or improvement – In this type of activity, HOME funds purchase property that is later developed as affordable housing. This activity also covers the improvement and rehabilitation of current affordable housing.[2]
- Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs) – In this type of activity, governments provide funds to non-profit organizations that provide housing to impoverished or low-income families, including building housing projects similar to public housing projects, housing for the homeless, and developing affordable housing communities, among others.[2]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HOME_Investment_Partnerships_Program
The bipartisan legislative initiative aims to bolster supply for middle-class families.
By Andrew Moran
The United States is on track to implement the first comprehensive housing legislation in decades.
For the past several years, housing affordability has been a significant subject across the country, with many young people struggling to achieve the dream of homeownership.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have tried to reverse the trend by advancing the 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025.
Here is a look inside the sweeping housing package and the path to passage.
Inside the Act
While the current administration has examined strategies to expand access to the housing market, the bipartisan legislative initiative aims to bolster supply for middle-class families.
The bill’s main provision is a limit on institutional investors’ purchases of single-family homes.
Both chambers tweaked the proposal.
The Senate approved language that requires major investors who build single‑family rental homes to sell those properties within seven years.
The House’s version still aims to rein in Wall Street’s footprint in the single‑family market, but its latest draft eases the restrictions.
Lawmakers added wider exemptions for institutional buyers of newly constructed rentals, homes needing substantial renovation, and several other categories.
Other measures aim to facilitate more construction, including incentives to build more homes, convert abandoned buildings into housing, and modernize existing homes.
In addition, Washington bolstered eligible income limits for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, a federal block-grant program that state and local governments use to build, maintain, and support affordable housing for low‑income households.
Officials created a Housing Supply Framework to enable best practices in state and local zoning and land use.
The legislative text also expands banks’ authority to make public‑welfare investments supporting affordable housing. The bill raises the cap for banks’ public welfare investments to 20 percent from 15 percent.
Lawmakers removed the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes. The long-standing federal rule required that manufactured homes be constructed on a permanent steel frame to qualify under the federal construction code.
It also includes the Modular Housing Production Act and other reforms to streamline the production of factory-built housing.
There was also some focus on the demand side of the equation. For example, the bill establishes incentives for mortgage lenders to originate small-dollar mortgages—typically under $100,000—to address the financing gap for low-cost homes. Additionally, Congress updated rules on appraisal standards and fees for these small-dollar loans.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes reforms to Veterans Affairs (VA) housing policies. The major changes include expanding access to VA home loans, improving consumer protections for borrowers, and enhancing housing support for disabled and homeless veterans.
Congressional Path
Unlike other pieces of legislation, the housing affordability bill has moved quickly through Congress—something that President Donald Trump had requested.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.) introduced legislation in December 2025. Two months later, it passed in the lower chamber by a vote of 390–9.
As it arrived in the upper chamber, senators made substitutions rather than take up the House bill. The amended legislation passed 89–10 and was sent back to the House, where it passed 396–13.
It will now be delivered to the Senate for final approval.
Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said the bipartisan housing bill will provide relief for families nationwide.
“We worked closely with the White House and our colleagues in both chambers on a bill that puts families first and addresses the housing crisis,” they said in a May 20 joint statement.
“There’s still work to be done and we are committed to continuing to work with the White House and our colleagues in the House on a housing bill that can pass the Senate and get to the president’s desk.”
What the Industry Says
The housing industry widely lauded Congress for moving ahead with the legislation.
Shortly after the House passed the bill, the National Association of Home Builders noted that it addresses several problems facing Americans today, mainly housing shortages and affordability challenges.
“The bottom line is that the housing crisis is a supply problem,” Bill Owens, the group’s chairman, said in a statement.
“Congress can help by improving access to capital, strengthening workforce pipelines, expanding the availability of buildable lots and reducing excessive regulatory costs and permitting delays.
“If we want to make housing more attainable, we must make it easier and less expensive to build.”
Emily Cadik, CEO of the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition, stated that increasing the banks’ public welfare investment cap to 20 percent will “unlock billions of dollars in new private investment.”
“Additional changes in the updated House legislation will further strengthen our ability to finance more affordable housing to address our nation’s immense need,” Cadik said in a statement.
The House passing the Senate’s amended version would both enhance housing supply and expand access to affordable mortgage credit, says Bob Broeksmit, president and CO of the Mortgage Bankers Association.
The legislation, he said, “will help advance meaningful housing affordability solutions for our nation’s homeowners and renters.”