Tag: affordable housing
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That’s a “Yes” in Our Back Yard: New Federal Law Cuts Builders’ Red Tape
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now the law. It’s winning praise for cutting red tape. And its $200 million innovation fund, while not exactly huge and yet to be funded, could stimulate local governments to ease their burdensome and restrictive rules. The new federal law speeds up reviews, updates borrowing rules, and…
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Adding an ADU to Your Property as a Rental Income Strategy
You’ve likely come across people with guest houses or garden suites on their properties. Housing policy people have a name for these extra living spaces: accessory dwelling units, orADUs. Accessory dwelling units are the talk of the town these days in all regions of the United States. An ADU is one of the most popular…
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Clearing Skies for Manufactured Homes and Buyers? What the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Does
The manufactured housing industry is pretty excited about the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The new law, effective as of July 2026, is federal. Yet it encourages new, affordable housing in towns across the country. According to the Manufactured Housing Institute: These provisions change the conversation. Removing barriers to manufactured housing is no longer…
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Housing Affordability Matters in Every State—And Now There’s a Federal Template
This month, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law. It happened quietly, automatically, ten days after congressional approval, in the absence of a presidential veto. The massive new law includes: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is careful not to commandeer local zoning processes. Instead, it brings an array of incentives such…
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21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Signing Put on Hold.
Donald Trump just declined to sign the bill as scheduled. Trump said he would not sign the bill until Congress acted on the SAVE America Act. Speaker Mike Johnson says the bill will get Trump’s signature within 10 days. But White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt advertised today’s bill signing just this Tuesday. The abrupt…
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Looking for a 3D-Printed Home? Wells Fargo Has Mortgages with Lender Credits
Wells Fargo just said it’s ready to issue mortgages on homes built with 3D printing technology. The Austin-based startup ICON, now a leading U.S. robotic construction firm, is building the homes. At a prior ICON-built development in partnership with Lennar, the financing was handled by Lennar itself. Now, Wells Fargo will issue loans for ICON…
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States Have Been on a Housing Affordability Roll. Can Cities Stop Standing in the Way?
Just a few months ago, we reported on state lawmakers stepping up for housing affordability and creating big, bold changes. If Congress is slow to act, at least the states can bring relief to the people. Optimism, and the winds of change, have gained strength. Texas even passed a law to stop small groups of…
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Young Voters Want Congress to Act on Housing Costs Now
According to the National Association of REALTORS®, about half the people who rent or live with family believe both of these statements are true: (a) I’d like to buy a home, but don’t have affordable options in my area. (b) U.S. housing is so expensive that I’ll likely never be able to hold the deed to…
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Zoning for Affordability in Minnesota: Is a Law Allowing More Units Doomed?
A new law to boost starter-home construction in Minnesota is “on life support” now, media reports say. Its backers are scrambling to save it as the lawmaking session concludes this month. Starter homes seem to be an endangered species. In the early 1980s, four in every ten new homes created were within the reach of…
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HUD Moves to End Fair Housing Rule That Shelters Battered Spouses
The “disparate impact rule” has been used in cases involving domestic violence survivors and others in vulnerable housing situations. This rule is often used to help keep at-risk people in safe, healthful, stable housing. Now, the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) plans to cancel the rule.
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Senate Passes ROAD to Housing Act—Builders, Housing Advocates Weigh In
In March, the U.S. Senate passed the housing bill called the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. The intent of the law is to make U.S. housing more accessible to more people. The price tag on a typical home sold in the U.S. is sidelining hopeful buyers caught in a troubled economy. The ROAD to…
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States Investing in Manufactured Homes:Why, Where, and How the Deeds Work
Manufactured homes are at the core of a growing policy trend. Pre-fabrication is a relatively cheap way to create homes, at just half the cost of site-built homes per square foot, according to the Manufactured Housing Institute. And current factory standards make them as strong, as safe, and as energy-wise as traditional houses. Manufactured homes…
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First-Time Home Buying? How and Where to Buy a Home You’ll Enjoy for Under $250K
Aspiring deed holders are backing off from the market in droves. Prices are high. Mortgage approvals aren’t easily had. The economic outlook is still uncertain. And most would-be buyers (one new survey says three-fourths of renters!) think they’ll never be able to get their own deeds. All of that is very much real. But yes,…
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“Terrifying for Developers”: Did Massachusetts Let a Neighbor Resurrect an Expired Deed Restriction?
Earlier this month, the Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly publication summarized an interesting court case on Massachusetts deeds. Attorney Eric T. Berkman laid out the case of a deed holder who created a new deed restriction, echoing an old and expired one. A judge said it was OK because it did not constitute an attempt to enforce…
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The ADU: A Housing Fix for Seniors and Their Families
Accessory dwelling units (also known as ADUs, backyard cottages, guest homes, or granny flats) can enable seniors to enjoy privacy, yet remain close to family and neighborhood friends. They don’t depend on clearing natural spaces to develop properties. Yet they offer affordable housing options — which are ever scarcer these days. No wonder ADUs have…
