Road to Housing Act would help increase housing supply amid significant demand, high prices
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan, bicameral 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act:
“For decades, owning a home has been a core part of the American Dream, yet housing affordability has become one of the most difficult financial challenges that families face today. And with Utah being one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, our state is experiencing a serious supply crunch, which further puts homeownership out of reach.
“But today, the Senate took a significant step toward delivering meaningful relief for those families by passing the ROAD to Housing Act. This legislation advances practical, commonsense solutions to increase housing supply and expand access to affordable housing and financing opportunities for families, making the dream of homeownership more attainable and the pressures of renting less burdensome.
“Despite all the noise we see, passing this major piece of legislation demonstrates that bicameral cooperation and bipartisanship are alive in Congress and that we are working to address the issues the American people care about most.
“I have been proud to support this effort and will continue working to influence and advance practical solutions that lower costs for families and keep the American Dream a reality.”
Background:
Due to travel delays caused by inclement weather, Senator Curtis was unable to attend the Senate’s final passage vote. He however supported the legislation in preceding votes.
As one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, Utah has experienced significant housing demand in recent years, driving up both home prices and rent for families across the state. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a bipartisan, bicameral package designed to address these affordability challenges by increasing housing supply and reducing barriers that make it harder and more expensive to build new homes.
The legislation modernizes outdated federal housing policies, streamlines requirements that have constrained development, and creates incentives for communities to expand housing production. It also includes reforms to support community banks and local lenders that help finance housing development.
For Utah, where growing communities are working to keep pace with population growth, these reforms aim to make it easier to build the housing needed to keep homeownership and rental opportunities within reach for working families.
The final package was the product of months of negotiations between the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee and reflects priorities from both parties.
The full text of the bill can be found here.