Washington, D.C. – The U.S. House of Representatives yesterday passed bipartisan legislation led by Congressman Eugene Vindman (D-Va.-07) to cut red tape, lower housing costs, and increase the supply of homes in rural communities across the country.
The Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act streamlines environmental reviews for housing built on previously developed land, commonly referred to as “infill sites”. Rising construction costs and unnecessary federal delays are making it harder for families to afford a home. In many cases, housing projects on land with existing infrastructure face duplicative National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews that add significant costs and slow construction without providing meaningful benefit.
“I’m proud that the U.S. House passed my bipartisan bill to help more Americans afford a place to live,” said Vindman. “Across the country, too many families are being shut out of homeownership by rising costs, limited supply, and unnecessary delays. By cutting red tape and speeding up responsible development, this bill lowers costs, expands housing options, and helps keep the door to homeownership open.”
By reducing unnecessary delays and costs, the bill expands housing supply and supports homeownership, while preserving all substantive environmental protections, including those that detect contaminants, toxins, or hazards. The legislation applies only to land already served by existing infrastructure and explicitly excludes farmland, forests, and open space.
Vindman leads the bill in the U.S. House alongside U.S. Representatives Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas-34), Troy Downing (R-Mont.-02), and Mike Flood (R-Neb.-01).
“With current labor shortages due to reckless immigration policies and increased costs delaying construction, there is simply not enough housing to accommodate the needs of our families,” said Gonzalez. “With this bill, we will remove bureaucratic roadblocks to streamline the development of affordable housing so more South Texas families have a place to call home.”
“I’m proud to see the Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act pass the House as part of the Housing for the 21st Century Act,” said Downing. “This bill cuts burdensome red tape, helps lower housing costs, and makes the American Dream more achievable for families in rural areas like central and eastern Montana. I want to thank my colleagues for advocating for rural America and look forward to seeing this legislation become law.”
The bill — which was folded into the Housing for the 21st Century package — now awaits passage by the U.S. Senate. This is the third Vindman-led bill to pass the U.S. House.
Click here for bill text.
BACKGROUND
Congressman Vindman has long worked to boost housing supply across the United States. In December, he introduced the bipartisan Main Street Home Builders Act, legislation that would require the Small Business Administration (SBA) to carry out a pilot program supporting the construction or management of build-to-rent multifamily housing.
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