- House Republicans removed the Road to Housing Act—a bipartisan housing affordability bill—from the $925B National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), calling instead for standalone legislation.
- The Road to Housing Act included zoning reform templates, support for modular housing, and measures to eliminate barriers to residential development.
- The Senate had already passed the bill as part of its NDAA version, setting up a potential reconciliation challenge as housing reform efforts hang in the balance.
An Unexpected Omission
House Republicans removed key housing reform policies from the must-pass NDAA bill, delaying federal action on housing affordability, reports Bisnow. The move eliminates federal support for affordability-focused zoning reforms and construction policies—at least for now.
The housing provisions came from the bipartisan Road to Housing Act, which the Senate had already passed in October 2025. By removing housing elements, House Republicans signal a preference for a standalone bill that better reflects their policy priorities.
What Was In The Housing Plan?
The Road to Housing Act aimed to offer local governments a playbook for reducing development roadblocks. Core provisions included:
- Removing parking minimums
- Allowing duplexes and triplexes by right
- Reducing lot size requirements
- Facilitating modular construction
The legislation focused on encouraging more flexible zoning and development policies at the state and local level, while expanding housing supply options nationwide.
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Why It Matters
Housing affordability is a rising political concern across the country, especially in high-growth and high-cost markets. By pulling the housing bill out of the NDAA, lawmakers risk delaying urgently needed policy support.
Chairman French Hill of the House Financial Services Committee emphasized that Republicans share the goal of expanding housing access, but prefer a legislative route that better reflects their own approach.
What’s Next
The Senate’s inclusion of the Road to Housing Act sets up a reconciliation fight with the House as the NDAA moves forward. Whether the housing provisions are reintroduced or passed separately remains to be seen.
With midterm elections approaching, affordability is expected to be a central issue. President Donald Trump has made housing a key part of his platform. He points to his administration’s efforts to expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and increase funding for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. However, critics argue that earlier cuts to the HUD budget undercut overall housing affordability.
For now, the removal of the housing package delays federal action on a growing crisis—leaving states and municipalities to continue bearing the brunt.
