Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025

Bill Number

H.R. 6771

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 1

Policy Area

Housing and Community Development

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.

Last Updated

2026-06-11T23:26:31Z

AI-Generated Summary

Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025 (H.R. 6771)

Purpose

The legislation aims to address the U.S. housing crisis by increasing access to affordable, equitable, and accessible housing. It seeks to lower housing costs, preserve existing affordable units, promote sustainable communities, expand homeownership opportunities, and support vulnerable populations through substantial federal investments in housing programs.

Key Provisions

The bill authorizes over $100 billion in appropriations for fiscal year 2026, primarily to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), with additional funds to the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of the Treasury. Funds are generally available until 2028–2033 and focus on four main titles:

Title I: Creating and Preserving Affordable, Equitable, and Accessible Housing

• Public Housing Investments (Sec. 101): $65.0 billion for capital repairs, construction, and grants to transform distressed public housing into mixed-income communities; includes $1.2 billion for competitive grants under Section 24 of the U.S. Housing Act.
• Affordable Housing Production (Sec. 102): $24.95 billion for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Housing Trust Fund to support new construction, rehabilitation, and preservation of affordable units.
• Housing Investment Fund (Sec. 103): $750 million to the Treasury's Community Development Financial Institutions Fund for grants to nonprofits and community lenders to finance affordable rental and homeownership housing.
• Supportive Housing: $450 million each for Section 811 (disabilities) and Section 202 (elderly) programs for capital advances, rental assistance, and services; plus technical assistance.
• Energy Efficiency and Resilience (Sec. 106): $1.77 billion in loans and grants for multifamily properties to improve energy, water efficiency, and climate resilience.
• Distressed Multifamily Revitalization (Sec. 107): $1.55 billion in forgivable loans for physical improvements to at-risk multifamily projects, requiring 30-year affordability.
• Rural Rental Housing (Sec. 108): $1.9 billion to USDA for loans, grants, and preservation of rural multifamily housing.
• Housing Vouchers (Sec. 109): $23.7 billion for incremental tenant-based vouchers, including for homeless individuals and survivors of violence; $300 million for mobility services.
• Project-Based Rental Assistance (Sec. 110): $880 million for new contracts prioritizing high-opportunity areas and accessibility.
• Native American Investments (Sec. 111): $955 million for block grants, competitive grants, and community development in tribal and Native Hawaiian communities.
• Federal Home Loan Bank Contributions (Sec. 112): Requires banks to contribute at least $100 million annually (2026–2031) to affordable housing programs.
• Accessibility and Visitability (Sec. 113): Mandates 10% of units in multifamily projects accessible for mobility impairments and 5% for hearing/vision; requires "visitable" features (e.g., no-step entry) in certain federally assisted single-family homes.

Title II: 21st Century Sustainable and Equitable Communities

• Community Development Block Grants (Sec. 201): $2.935 billion for affordable housing, infrastructure in colonias (border areas), and manufactured home communities.
• Lead and Health Hazard Mitigation (Sec. 202): $4.725 billion for grants to address lead paint and other hazards in low-income housing.
• Unlocking Possibilities Program (Sec. 203): $1.75 billion in competitive grants for housing planning, zoning reforms, and community development strategies to boost supply and equity.
• Flood Insurance Resilience (Sec. 204): Cancels $20.5 billion in National Flood Insurance Program debt; $600 million for income-based premium discounts.
• Community Restoration Fund (Sec. 205): $2.5 billion for community-led projects, including land trusts and shared equity homeownership to prevent displacement.
• Fair Housing Enforcement (Secs. 206–207): $615 million to expand testing, investigations, education, and state/local partnerships under the Fair Housing Act.

Title III: Homeownership Investments

• First-Generation Downpayment Assistance (Sec. 301): $9.1 billion for grants to states and nonprofits providing up to $20,000 (or 10% of purchase price) to first-generation, first-time buyers (e.g., those without parental homeowner background or from foster care); requires counseling and 5-year occupancy.
• Home Loan Program (Sec. 302): $4.5 billion for HUD/USDA to insure/guarantee up to $60 billion in 20-year fixed-rate mortgages for eligible low-income, first-generation buyers; Treasury to securitize loans.
• Small Dollar Mortgage Demonstration (Sec. 303): $90 million for HUD-insured mortgages under $100,000, including lender incentives.
• Rural Homeownership (Sec. 304): $100 million to USDA for single-family repair grants, easing eligibility for low-income rural homeowners.

Title IV: HUD Administration, Capacity Building, and Oversight

• Administration and Technical Assistance (Secs. 401–402): $1.05 billion for HUD oversight, training, and grants to nonprofits for community-led capacity building; plus Inspector General funding.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Funding Increases: Dramatically boosts appropriations for programs like public housing capital fund (from ~$3B annually to $65B one-time), vouchers ($23.7B incremental), and HOME ($24.95B), waiving matching requirements and commitment deadlines.
• New Programs and Flexibilities: Establishes Housing Investment Fund, First-Generation Downpayment Fund, Unlocking Possibilities, and Community Restoration Fund; allows forgivable loans, extended affordability (20–30 years), and new construction in block grants.
• Waivers and Priorities: Suspends certain restrictions (e.g., no supplantation of funds, relaxed environmental reviews); prioritizes anti-displacement, accessibility, and high-opportunity areas; cancels flood insurance debt and mandates visitability standards.
• Enforcement Enhancements: Expands fair housing grants to 10-year terms; increases Federal Home Loan Bank contributions to 15% of net income.

Potential Impacts

• Government Agencies: HUD, USDA, and Treasury face expanded roles in loan guarantees, securitization, and oversight, with $2+ billion for administration; could strain capacity but includes technical assistance funding. Inspector Generals gain resources for audits.
• Citizens: Low-income renters, first-time/first-generation buyers, disabled/elderly individuals, homeless persons, and rural/Native communities could access more units (e.g., thousands via vouchers/loans), lower costs (e.g., downpayment aid, flood discounts), and safer housing (e.g., hazard mitigation). May reduce homelessness and displacement while promoting energy-efficient, resilient homes.
• International Relations: Minimal direct impact; focuses on domestic housing, though rural and tribal provisions could indirectly support U.S. indigenous communities with global parallels.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Low-Income and Vulnerable Populations: Renters, extremely low-income families, homeless survivors, disabled/elderly individuals, first-generation homebuyers, and Native Hawaiian/tribal members benefit from vouchers, supportive housing, and assistance.
• Housing Providers: Public housing agencies, nonprofits, community development financial institutions, and property owners receive grants/loans for repairs, production, and revitalization.
• Communities: Rural areas, colonias, manufactured home residents, and high-poverty neighborhoods gain infrastructure and anti-displacement support.
• Lenders and Developers: Federal Home Loan Banks, FHA insurers, and USDA programs see new mandates and funding streams.
• Governments: States, localities, and tribes access block grants and planning funds but must commit to affordability and fair housing.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

• Legal: Expands HUD's regulatory authority (e.g., guidance issuance without full rulemaking); enforces Fair Housing Act more robustly, potentially increasing litigation on discrimination. New mandates like visitability could face challenges under property rights but align with accessibility laws (e.g., ADA). Appropriations are time-limited, avoiding indefinite spending.
• Constitutional: Standard congressional spending power; no apparent First Amendment or due process issues, though reliance on borrower attestations (without verification) minimizes administrative burdens while risking fraud claims.
• Political: Promotes equity by targeting racial/ethnic disparities (e.g., first-generation aid) and climate resilience, potentially bridging urban-rural divides. As a Democratic-led bill, it emphasizes federal intervention in affordability, which could spark debates on fiscal responsibility and local zoning autonomy.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43]

Cosponsors (3)

Rep. Green, Al [D-TX-9], Rep. Ramirez, Delia C. [D-IL-3], Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7]

Recent Actions

• 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-12-17: Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Financial Services, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
• 2025-12-17: Introduced in House
• 2025-12-17: Introduced in House

Bill Versions

• Housing Crisis Response Act of 2025 — issued 2025-12-17 — PDF (119 pages)