Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act

The "Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act" proposes to exempt specific federal assistance for the construction or modification of residential housing on infill sites from certain requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). This exemption applies to assistance provided under sections 501, 502, 504, 515, 533, or 538 of the Housing Act of 1949. By doing so, these activities would no longer be considered a "major Federal action" requiring detailed environmental impact statements under NEPA, potentially accelerating housing development in rural areas. An infill site is defined as a location served by existing infrastructure, such as water lines, sewer lines, and roads, but specifically excludes greenfields, sites with only road access, or areas designated as very high or relatively high risk for wildfire, coastal, or riverine flooding by FEMA. The bill mandates that the Secretary of Agriculture submit a report to Congress within five years to assess the impact of this section. This report must determine if the exemption reduced application review times and administrative costs, describe its effect on the affordable housing sector in rural America, and include recommendations for future NEPA exclusions or exemptions. The legislation also clarifies that this exemption does not alter requirements under any other federal laws.