Planners Lead The Way On Local Housing Reform

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Housing reform includes policy and legislative changes that increase housing supply, expand housing choice, and improve attainability. By addressing barriers such as restrictive zoning laws and other obstacles to development, communities can build more housing where it's needed most.

Community planners help leaders advance data-driven solutions that support housing production. With federal support and local reforms, planners can expand housing opportunities and better meet residents' needs.

Latest Housing News

New 21st Century ROAD to Housing law

The much-anticipated 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act officially passed into law July 11, marking a years-in-the-making win for planning advocates and their communities nationwide.

For planners, the bill is more than a federal housing package. It is a recognition that local planning capacity, modern zoning tools, and implementation support are essential to expanding housing supply and affordability.

Congress Must Build on Success of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing was a historic step forward. Congress should now ensure its success through strong FY27 funding and continued bipartisan action to modernize housing systems, increase supply, lower costs, and expand opportunity.

Fully Fund Key Housing and Community Development Programs

The success of ROAD depends on implementation. Congress has provided important new tools; now it must provide the resources needed to put those tools to work.

Advance the Next Generation of Housing Supply Reforms

Congress should build on ROAD by advancing reforms that help communities modernize systems, remove barriers to housing production, and expand affordability.

Check out the table below for key provisions, themes and next steps

What's in the Bill? Themes, Key Provisions, and Next Steps for the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act

Theme		Next Steps
Guidance for State and Local Code Reforms	Housing Supply Frameworks (Sec.107) HUD will produce frameworks and models for state and local zoning and land use codes to support reform efforts across the nation and help determine what solutions are working.	HUD to issue guidelines for public comments within 2 years and final version within 3 years.
Guidance for State and Local Code Reforms	Guidance for 'Single Stair' Building Code Reform (Sec. 102) New federal guidelines will be created for communities working to update building codes and speed permitting for 'single stair' / point access design multifamily housing. Pilot grant programs are also established.	HUD to issue guidelines within 18 months. Appropriations required for grants.
Funding for Local Planning and Implementation	Innovation Grants and Support for Local Reforms (Sec. 207, 208) Two new grant programs would support communities undertaking local reforms. One program would provide support to help with zoning, land use, permitting, and other code overhauls. The other program would reward communities implementing reforms with funding to support housing production and supportive infrastructure.	HUD to establish grant programs with 1 year. Appropriations required.
	Updates to Community Development Block Grants (Sec. 104, 204, 213, 504) CDBG will get several important changes, including more flexibility for use on affordable housing projects, requirements on identifying barriers to production and cataloging of publicly owned land, authorization of the disaster recovery program (CDBG-DR), and an incentive program to reward communities for increasing housing production.	New requirements mandatory starting FY27. New eligibilities available starting FY27. Competition incentive takes effect third FY after enactment. CDBG-DR effective on enactment and sunsets in 3 years.
	Grants for Pre-Approved Plans and Designs (Sec. 209) The Accelerating Home Building section authorizes new grants to help communities develop pre-approved building and site plans to support the production of diverse housing options.	HUD to establish grant program and reporting requirements. Appropriations required.
	Flexibility in Combating Homelessness (Sec. 503) States and localities receiving Emergency Solutions Grant funding will be able to request a waiver of the statutory 60 percent spending cap on emergency shelter beds and street outreach.	HUD to develop waiver guidance. Applies to FY27-30 grants.
Removal of Federal Barriers to Housing Development	Targeted Streamlining for Environmental Reviews (Sec. 103, 205, 206) HUD and USDA will coordinate joint environmental reviews, and new streamlining would be put in place for target in-fill housing development.	HUD, USDA to issue updated program guidance. HUD to issue new rule.
Removal of Federal Barriers to Housing Development	Removal of Federal 'Chassis Rule' for Manufactured Housing (Sec. 301, 302, 303, 304) The federal rule requiring a permanent chassis for any manufactured housing regulated under the HUD Code would be repealed to support wider adoption of modular and manufactured housing. A federal study would also identify barriers to modular housing development.	HUD to update rule and form for state certification. State certification due within 1 year. HUD to update energy standards within 1 year. HUD to issue report on barriers within 1 year.
Housing Finance and Ownership	New Funding for Preserving Housing (Sec. 202) A 'Whole Home' repair program would provide grants and forgivable loans to low- and moderate-income homeowners and landlords to support the repair, weatherization, accessibility and renovation of existing affordable housing.	HUD to establish new grant program. Appropriations required.
	Increasing Private Capital and Federal Finance for Housing (Sec. 203, 210, 211, 501, 502) The bills include reforms to several housing finance rules and programs. The public welfare cap on banks would increase to 20%. Federal finance programs would increase access for accessory dwelling units and manufactured housing. A new program with HOME will support conversion of vacant and abandoned buildings into attainable housing.	HUD to issue new HOME rules within 1 year. HUD BABA review due within 180 days and new guidance 90 days following the review. USDA report due in 6 months. USDA to establish new program and issue updated rules and guidance for existing programs. OCC/Federal Reserve to new notice on bank rules. HUD to establish new RESIDE grants subject to Congressional appropriations.
	New Opportunity Zone Incentive (Sec. 201) HUD is charged with creating a bonus for applicants or projects located within a designated Opportunity Zone for their discretionary grant programs.	HUD to update existing grant criteria.
	Build-to-Rent Development Preserved (Sec. 1001) Restrictions on build-to-rent ownership timelines were removed while maintaining some new restrictions for institutional investor ownership of single-family housing.	Treasury to issue new rule. Prohibition takes effect 180 days after enactment.

Hear from Housing Experts

Podcast: 21st Century ROAD to Housing Law with Jason Jordan

In this special episode of the APA Podcast, recorded fresh off the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act officially becoming law, host Mike Johnson talks to Jason Jordan, APA's public affairs principal. Jason dives into some of the important provisions in the new legislation, outlines some of the funding opportunities, providing a general sense of what comes next and what this means for planners moving forward.

Play the Episode

Webinar: Planning for Housing Reform

What does the newly passed 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act mean for planners and the future of housing reform? In this Passport-exclusive webinar, APA's Jason Jordan joins housing experts from the National League of Cities and Up For Growth to discuss the law's impact, including how key provisions invest in planning, make federal programs more efficient, and support locally-led zoning reform.

Watch the Webinar

Housing Supply Accelerator

solutions and strategies to Increase local housing

The Housing Supply Accelerator is a national campaign to improve local capacity, identify critical solutions, and speed reforms that enable communities and developers to work together to produce, preserve and provide a diverse range of quality housing by realigning the efforts of public and private stakeholders in the housing sector to meet housing needs at the local level.

Learn more and Read the Playbook to get strategies on how to speed up housing development in your community.

Housing is a complex crisis that requires comprehensive solutions. Planners provide data-driven insights and expertise that can help policymakers improve public policies and investments that create housing abundance, efficient infrastructure, and lasting economic strength.

Hear from local policymakers how planning has produced positive outcomes in their communities:

From parking minimums to building more housing near transit, planners — together with decision-makers — are finding innovative, locally-led ways to make housing more affordable, accessible, and available to residents.

Learn how planners and elected officials are working together to create solutions for housing in communities of all sizes across the nation: