U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-KS, said the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now law, including his Streamlining Rural Housing Act to support housing development in rural communities by simplifying the regulatory process for developers.
The housing package also includes three bills Moran cosponsored to expand access to rural housing, reduce bureaucracy in federal housing programs and increase affordable housing options for veterans.
“There is an increasing demand for affordable housing in rural communities, and I’m pleased that the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is now law, helping address this challenge by streamlining rural housing programs, reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers and expanding opportunities for rural families to find affordable housing,” Moran said. “This legislation is the most significant housing package in more than a decade and includes important updates to improve access to rural housing. I’m pleased that my Streamlining Rural Housing Act is now law, and I look forward to seeing the difference this legislation makes for communities in Kansas and across our nation.”
Measures included in the package:
- Streamlining rural housing regulations — Moran introduced the bipartisan Streamlining Rural Housing Act, requiring the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to enter into a memorandum of understanding to align housing standards. The change is intended to lower costs, shorten project timelines and help developers address housing needs more efficiently.
- Supporting affordable housing in rural communities — Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act, which strengthens federal rural housing programs and increases the supply of affordable housing by improving U.S. Department of Agriculture rural housing programs.
- Reducing barriers in federal housing programs — Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act, which reduces Department of Housing and Urban Development inspection delays and allows units financed through other federal housing programs to satisfy voucher inspection requirements if they were inspected within the previous year. The measure also allows new landlords to request pre-inspections to encourage participation in the voucher program.
- Increasing veterans’ access to affordable housing — Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Veterans Affairs Loan Information Disclosure (VALID) Act, which updates Federal Housing Administration mortgage disclosures to include Department of Veterans Affairs home loans alongside Federal Housing Administration and conventional loan options. It also allows lenders to collect voluntarily provided information about an applicant’s military service to connect eligible veterans and servicemembers with VA loan information earlier in the homebuying process.
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