Mississippi delegation supports bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
The 21st Century ROAD (Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream) to Housing Act passed Congress in late June with support from Mississippi’s entire congressional delegation. The legislation is the first comprehensive housing affordability measure approved by Congress in decades.
The bill became law over the weekend without President Donald Trump’s signature. Trump declined to sign, citing his opposition to the Senate’s failure to pass the SAVE America Act, which aims to impose a national Voter ID requirement. In a post on TruthSocial, Trump said he was protesting the bill’s signing, stating, “I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT.”
The legislation was enacted after Congress remained in session past the 10-day window for presidential vetoes, as Trump did not veto the bill. Despite Trump’s opposition, the bill includes a provision he previously supported—placing limits on large investors who buy single-family homes.
Mississippi U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith praised President Trump and HUD Secretary Scott Turner for prioritizing affordable housing. Hyde-Smith also thanked U.S. Senator Tim Scott, chairman of the Banking Committee, for helping pass the bill. The legislation expands federal housing programs by increasing financing options and grants for planning and community development. It raises loan limits for federal mortgage insurance programs and adjusts the inflation index used for these loans.
The bill also boosts the maximum income eligibility for HUD’s HOME Investment Partnerships Program and creates grants for regional, state, and local entities to develop affordable housing strategies. Other provisions include exempting certain housing activities from environmental reviews, excluding veterans’ disability benefits from income calculations for VA housing programs, and removing the requirement for manufactured homes to have a permanent chassis.
Hyde-Smith highlighted provisions she finds particularly beneficial for Mississippi, such as a three-year reauthorization of the Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery program and the creation of the HUD Office of Disaster Management and Resiliency. The bill also authorizes a two-year pilot program to encourage new banks in underserved and rural areas and allows HUD to prioritize applications from Opportunity Zones, of which Mississippi has 100.
Hyde-Smith said, “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act represents a bipartisan recognition that government should be a helping hand, not a hindrance, as it too often has been in addressing affordable housing needs in Mississippi and across this great nation.”
Source: Original Article
