Overview: Housing for the 21st Century Act
| Bill Number | Chamber | Sponsor | Date Introduced |
|---|---|---|---|
| H.R. 6644 | House | Rep. Hill, J. French [R-AR-2] | December 11, 2025 |
The Housing for the 21st Century Act is a wide-ranging housing proposal that updates federal financing tools, adjusts eligibility in key housing programs, and supports local planning and strategies to expand housing options.
For home buyers and homeowners, the bill’s updates can support more housing types in more places, including multifamily properties and manufactured homes, while also aiming to improve how certain federal housing benefits are calculated for veterans.
The bill was introduced in the 119th Congress and may change as it moves through the legislative process. Note that bills often change on their way to becoming law, so this page will update as new details emerge. For real-time updates, subscribe to our newsletter.
Bill Overview
To increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes
A bill to update federal housing programs and financing tools, support affordable housing development and planning, and modernize certain housing-related requirements.
Bill Overview
To increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes
A bill to update federal housing programs and financing tools, support affordable housing development and planning, and modernize certain housing-related requirements.
Bill
To increase the supply of housing in America, and for other purposes
House of Representatives
What Is the Housing for the 21st Century Act?
The Housing for the 21st Century Act proposes a set of updates that touch how housing gets financed, how some federal housing programs set eligibility, and how quickly certain housing activities can move from planning to construction.
The bill focuses on seven themes: FHA support for multifamily financing, HOME program eligibility, new grant programs for housing strategies, targeted environmental review exemptions, VASH income calculation updates for veterans, manufactured home standards, and expanded financing for affordable housing and community development.
Key Changes In the Housing for the 21st Century Act
Higher FHA Loan Limits For Multifamily Homes
The bill increases Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage insurance loan limits for multifamily homes. In practice, higher limits can support larger loan amounts for qualifying multifamily properties where FHA financing is used.
For buyers, this change may support more availability of smaller multifamily buildings, including homes where an owner occupies a unit and rents the others, when the property and borrower meet the loan program requirements.
Higher Income Eligibility For The HOME Program
The bill raises income eligibility for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, often called the HOME program. HOME funding supports affordable housing development, rehabilitation, and local housing efforts, and the income rules help determine which households can benefit from HOME-supported housing.
With higher income eligibility, more households may fit within the program’s intended income range, depending on how the updated rules are written in final form and how local HOME funds are used.
New Grants For Affordable Housing Strategies And Planning
The bill establishes grant programs focused on affordable housing strategies and planning. These grants are designed to support communities that want to:
- Build housing plans that align with local needs
- Create strategies that expand affordable housing choices
- Coordinate development and community development goals
Planning support can translate into more projects that are ready to move forward and more housing types available over time.
Targeted Environmental Review Exemptions For Certain Housing Activities
The bill exempts certain housing activities from environmental review. Environmental review rules can affect timelines for housing development, rehabilitation, and community projects that use federal funding.
By narrowing review requirements for specific activities, the bill aims to help qualifying housing work move forward with fewer process steps, while still following the requirements that apply to that activity.
Veterans’ Disability Benefits And VASH Income Calculations
The bill excludes veterans’ disability benefits from income calculations for the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program.
This change can improve access for eligible veterans by treating disability benefits differently in the income review used for VASH assistance.
Manufactured Homes And The Permanent Chassis Requirement
The bill eliminates the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes. A permanent chassis is the steel frame used to transport a manufactured home, which can be treated as a continuing structural requirement under certain rules.
Removing this requirement can support manufactured housing that is installed in ways that match more site-built construction practices in some communities, which may support broader acceptance and additional housing choices.
Expanded Financing For Affordable Housing And Community Development
The bill expands financing for affordable housing and community development. This category includes tools and programs that can support development costs, rehabilitation, and community improvements that make it easier to build and preserve housing.
Expanded financing options can support more housing projects reaching completion, which can improve the range of homes available to buy or rent.
Who Qualifies Under the Housing for the 21st Century Act?
Eligibility depends on the section of the bill and the program involved. The bill includes changes that apply to households, communities, developers, and program administrators.
Examples of who may benefit include:
- Buyers and property owners connected to FHA-financed multifamily housing
- Households that fall within the updated income limits for HOME-supported housing
- Communities applying for housing planning and strategy grants
- Veterans whose VASH eligibility uses income calculations
The final eligibility rules depend on how the bill is implemented across each program.
How the Housing for the 21st Century Act Works
If enacted, the Housing for the 21st Century Act would direct federal housing agencies to update program rules, eligibility thresholds, and administrative requirements based on the bill’s sections.
Some changes would adjust financial limits and income calculations, while others would create new grant opportunities and update housing standards. Together, those updates are designed to support more housing production, more housing types, and smoother pathways for housing projects to move forward.
Who Sponsors the Housing for the 21st Century Act?
The Housing for the 21st Century Act is introduced in the House as H.R. 6644. Sponsorship and cosponsorship can evolve as the bill moves through committees and floor consideration. For the latest legislative updates and cosponsors, see the Bill Tracker above.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Housing for the 21st Century Act
Get answers to common questions about the proposed Housing for the 21st Century Act.
What does the Housing for the 21st Century Act do in simple terms?
The Housing for the 21st Century Act proposes changes across several housing programs, including higher FHA loan limits for multifamily properties, expanded eligibility for certain HUD programs, new housing planning grants, updates to environmental review requirements for specific activities, changes to income calculations in the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, and manufactured housing rule updates.
Does the Housing for the 21st Century Act help first-time home buyers?
It can. The bill focuses on expanding housing supply and financing options, which can support more entry-level choices, including manufactured homes and smaller multifamily properties. The bill also strengthens planning and funding tools that can increase housing options in more communities.
How could higher FHA loan limits for multifamily homes affect buyers?
Higher FHA mortgage insurance loan limits for multifamily homes can support financing for two-to-four-unit properties and small apartment buildings in more markets. That can increase the number of homes available to buy, and it can support owner-occupants who want to live in one unit while renting others, when the loan program rules allow it.
What changes does the bill make to the HOME Investment Partnerships Program?
The bill raises income eligibility for HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program. That can let more households qualify for housing supported by HOME-funded development, rehabilitation, and local housing initiatives, depending on how a community uses its HOME funds.
What are the new grant programs in the Housing for the 21st Century Act?
The bill establishes grant programs that support affordable housing strategies and planning. These grants are designed to help communities prepare housing plans, remove barriers to new housing, and coordinate development strategies that expand the number of homes available.
What housing activities would be exempt from environmental review under the bill?
The bill exempts certain housing activities from environmental review. The intent is to reduce review steps for specific types of housing work so projects can move forward more efficiently, while still following the program rules that apply to the activity.
How does the bill treat veterans’ disability benefits in the VASH program?
The bill excludes veterans’ disability benefits from income calculations for the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program. This change can help eligible veterans qualify for assistance without having disability benefits counted the same way in the income review.
What does eliminating the permanent chassis requirement mean for manufactured homes?
Eliminating the permanent chassis requirement means a manufactured home would not have to keep a permanent steel frame as a condition under the bill’s manufactured housing provisions. This update can support more design and installation options that may align better with site-built home standards in some areas.
About the Author
Dan Green
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Dan Green is a mortgage expert with over 20 years of direct mortgage experience. He has helped millions of homebuyers navigate their mortgages and is regularly cited by the press for his mortgage insights. Dan combines deep industry knowledge with clear, practical guidance to help buyers make informed decisions about their home financing.
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