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WASHINGTON, D.C. –The U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly today 85 to 5 to pass landmark legislation unlocking home ownership for millions of Americans. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act follows months of bipartisan negotiations and unlocks new housing opportunities for Americans.
Leaders of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee worked with counterparts on the House Financial Services Committee and the Trump administration to reach a comprehensive outcome complete with bipartisan priorities.
U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), a member of the Banking Committee, applauded the vote, saying, “For generations, achieving the American Dream was symbolized by owning a home, and it’s become increasingly out of reach for many Americans, largely because there’s just not enough homes. There’s a supply shortage in the communities across our country. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is going to help millions of Americans become homeowners. This vote, and really the whole process, has really been a result of steadfast collaboration between the political parties and of course between the two chambers of the United States Congress. I look forward to the House’ swift action so we can get it to the president’s desk as soon as possible.”
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes two provisions authored by Cramer to address the appraisal workforce shortage and streamline inspections for new landlords to participate in the Housing Choice Voucher program.
Amid North Dakota’s population growth, communities across the state are experiencing an appraiser shortage, leading to delays in the homebuying process for purchasers and sellers. North Dakotans have experienced an average wait time of 21 days for home appraisals, while the national average is between six to nine days. Moreover, over two-thirds of appraisers are older than 51, while just 13% are younger than 35. This dynamic creates an uncertain future for the homebuying process while contributing to substantial delays and worsening worker shortages. To remedy this, Cramer introduced the Appraisal Industry Improvement Act alongside U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) last year, which supports building the appraiser workforce to lessen transaction delays by adding state-credentialed trainee appraisers to the national Appraiser Registry and allowing grants for appraiser certification and licensing agencies for education and training. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes this provision.
The legislation also includes a portion of Cramer and U.S. Senator Chris Coons’ (D-DE) Choice in Affordable Housing Act to reduce U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development inspection delays. This section allows units financed through other federal housing programs to automatically satisfy voucher inspection requirements if inspected within the past year. It also reduces duplication and the administrative burden for new landlords to request pre-inspections to increase access to housing for voucher holders and encourage landlord participation.
In addition to Cramer’s provisions, the bill also makes significant regulatory reforms to help foster the supply of additional housing for Americans. These targeted changes include prioritizing housing projects in Opportunity Zones, creating a Community Development Block Grant pilot program to incentivize housing development, requiring the Federal Housing Administration to increase multifamily loan limits, and updating how National Environmental Policy Act is applied to smaller housing projects.