21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

The bill directs HUD to develop guidelines and best practices for state and local zoning frameworks to increase housing supply and affordability, recommending measures like reducing parking minimums and increasing density. It also establishes a grant program to accelerate home building through the use of pre-reviewed designs and issues federal guidelines for point-access block buildings. Environmental reviews for HUD housing activities are streamlined by expanding exemptions and categorical exclusions under NEPA, and HUD and USDA are mandated to coordinate reviews for joint projects. Furthermore, FHA multifamily loan limits are significantly increased and indexed to construction costs, while the GAO will study workforce housing and uniform building codes.

The HOME Investment Partnerships Program is reformed to expand income eligibility, remove restrictions on housing uses, and allow funds for infrastructure improvements in non-entitlement areas. It also streamlines environmental reviews for certain HOME activities and updates homeownership qualifications to include shared equity models and military members. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) recipients will report on land use policies that increase housing supply, with new construction of affordable housing becoming an eligible CDBG activity. HUD will offer competitive grants for affordable housing planning and zoning reform, and rural housing programs will see increased loan limits and improved application processing. Finally, Section 8 is amended to allow pre-approval inspections and accept inspections from other federal housing programs, enhancing choice for voucher holders.

The bill expands the definition of a manufactured home to include those without a permanent chassis, requiring HUD to issue standards and states to ensure regulatory parity or face manufacturing/sale prohibitions. It also grants HUD primary authority over manufactured home construction and safety standards. Additionally, HUD is mandated to study small-dollar mortgages (under $100,000) and propose a pilot program to increase access through lender incentives and borrower grants.

To protect vulnerable populations, the bill excludes certain VA disability benefits from income calculations for specific HUD housing programs and requires the Uniform Residential Loan Application to highlight VA Home Loan eligibility. HUD, USDA, and VA must enhance interagency coordination by sharing housing data and identifying collaboration opportunities. A new Family Self-Sufficiency escrow pilot program will help families save increased earned income, while housing counseling programs are reformed to include performance reviews and offer foreclosure mitigation counseling. HUD will also establish an eviction helpline and a temperature sensor pilot program for assisted rental units, with GAO studies on housing barriers for the elderly/disabled and proximity to Superfund sites.

This title strengthens oversight by requiring the HUD Secretary and Federal monitors/receivers of public housing agencies to provide annual testimony to Congress on departmental operations and management activities. Public housing agencies will also be mandated to publicly disclose detailed information about their contracts. The HUD Inspector General is directed to investigate the New York City Housing Authority's compliance and conditions, ensuring greater accountability.