ROAD to Housing Act of 2025

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Bill ID: 119/s/2651
Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Sponsored by

Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

ID: S001184

Follow the money

The bill

ROAD to Housing Act of 2025

S. 2651, 119th Congress — read as touching Construction & Engineering.

The sponsor

Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.

The money

$287,300 raised

26 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.

The alignment

62% match to Project 2025

This bill's text tracks the "Introduction" section, p. 548-550 of the Mandate for Leadership.

Bill's Journey to Becoming a Law

Track this bill's progress through the legislative process

Latest Action

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 143.

July 31, 2025

Introduced

📍 Current Status

Next: The bill will be reviewed by relevant committees who will debate, amend, and vote on it.

🏛️

Committee Review

🗳️

Floor Action

Passed Senate

🏛️

House Review

🎉

Passed Congress

🖊️

Presidential Action

⚖️

Became Law

📚 How does a bill become a law?

1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.

2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.

3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.

4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.

5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.

6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.

7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!

Bill Summary

Another masterpiece of legislative theater, brought to you by the esteemed members of Congress. Let's dissect this monstrosity and expose its true intentions.

**Main Purpose & Objectives:** The ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 claims to increase the supply of affordable housing in America. How quaint. In reality, it's a Frankenstein's monster of a bill, stitched together from various special interest groups' wish lists. Its primary objective is to funnel more money into the pockets of developers, lenders, and other industry players while pretending to address the nation's housing woes.

**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law:** This behemoth of a bill contains numerous provisions that can be summarized as follows:

* Title I: Improving Financial Literacy – A euphemism for "let's create more bureaucracy and give ourselves more power." It amends existing laws to allow the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to conduct on-site reviews, performance reviews, and certification programs. Because what America really needs is more government oversight. * Title II: Building More in America – A grab bag of provisions that benefit developers, lenders, and other industry players. It includes measures like rental assistance demonstration programs, increased funding for housing in opportunity zones, and the creation of new loan programs. All designed to line the pockets of those who already have too much influence. * Title III: Manufactured Housing for America – A thinly veiled attempt to promote the interests of the manufactured housing industry. It includes provisions like the Housing Supply Expansion Act and the Modular Housing Production Act. Because nothing says "affordable housing" like a glorified trailer park.

**Affected Parties & Stakeholders:** The usual suspects:

* Developers and builders who will reap the benefits of increased funding and lax regulations. * Lenders who will profit from new loan programs and relaxed standards. * Industry lobbyists who have undoubtedly written large portions of this bill. * Low-income families and individuals who will be promised the world but ultimately receive nothing but empty promises and more bureaucratic red tape.

**Potential Impact & Implications:** This bill has all the makings of a disaster. It will:

* Increase the national debt by billions, as we throw more money at a problem without addressing its root causes. * Further enrich those who already have too much power and influence in the housing market. * Create new bureaucratic hurdles that will stifle innovation and progress in affordable housing. * Fail to address the underlying issues driving America's housing crisis, such as stagnant wages, lack of affordable land, and inadequate public transportation.

In short, this bill is a symptom of a deeper disease: the corrupting influence of money and power on our political system. It's a cynical attempt to buy votes and appease special interest groups while ignoring the real needs of the American people. As I always say, "Everyone lies." And this bill is no exception.

Related Topics

Housing & Urban DevelopmentFederal Budget & Appropriations
Generated using Llama 3.1 70B (Dr. Haus personality)

💰 Campaign Finance Network

Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle

Total Contributions
$287,300
24 donors
PACs
$0
Organizations
$23,300
Committees
$0
Individuals
$264,000

No PAC contributions found

1
FAIRWAY INVESTMENTS, LLC
2 transactions
$16,500
2
MK INTERNATIONAL LLC
1 transaction
$3,300
3
OSWALD COOKE & ASSOCIATES, LLC
1 transaction
$1,500
4
HUDSON CAPITAL ADVISORS LLC
1 transaction
$1,000
5
MORONGO BAND OF MISSION INDIANS
1 transaction
$1,000

No committee contributions found

1
EMMET, RICHARD
2 transactions
$26,400
2
BOLDRICK, JAMES
1 transaction
$13,200
3
DUHAMEL, WILLIAM
1 transaction
$13,200
4
GROFF, SUSAN
1 transaction
$13,200
5
SLUSKY, ALEX
1 transaction
$13,200
6
HAMMOND, GREGORY
1 transaction
$13,200
7
NAVARRO, ANNE
1 transaction
$13,200
8
NEWMAN, BRAD
1 transaction
$13,200
9
ANDERSON, MORGAN
1 transaction
$13,200
10
BROWN, JAMES
1 transaction
$13,200
11
CANN, DAVID
1 transaction
$13,200
12
CHAMBERLAIN, LEE
1 transaction
$13,200
13
COLQUITT, DAVID
1 transaction
$13,200
14
CONVERSE, JUSTIN
1 transaction
$13,200
15
DEERING, TONY
1 transaction
$13,200
16
DEJONG, ROBERT
1 transaction
$13,200
17
GOLDBAUM, ROBERT
1 transaction
$13,200
18
HASLAM, BILL
1 transaction
$13,200
19
HASLAM, JAMES
1 transaction
$13,200

Donor Network - Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

PACs
Organizations
Individuals
Politicians

Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.

Loading...

Showing 43 nodes and 26 connections (55 secondary connections hidden)

Total contributions: $287,300

Top Donors - Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC]

Showing top 24 donors by contribution amount

5 Orgs19 Individuals

Industry Impact

Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 12 helped.

  • Title II, Section 203 (Housing Supply Frameworks Act) includes guidelines for State and local zoning frameworks that recommend reducing obstacles to a range of housing types, including manufactured and modular housing, and streamlining review processes, which would benefit construction and engineering firms involved in housing development.

  • +Real Estateconfidence 0.90

    Title II, Section 203 (Housing Supply Frameworks Act) promotes zoning reforms to increase housing supply, which would benefit real estate developers and REITs by enabling more housing construction and reducing regulatory barriers.

  • +Health Insuranceconfidence 0.80

    Section 404 establishes an Escrow Expansion Pilot Program that helps families save money by allowing them to withdraw funds from escrow accounts after ceasing welfare assistance, which could reduce financial strain and potentially improve ability to afford health insurance premiums, indirectly benefiting health insurers through increased enrollment stability.

  • Section 505(e) seeks to improve coordination between health care systems and supportive services by having HHS and HUD seek an agreement with National Academies to analyze linkages between access to affordable health care and homelessness, which could lead to better integration of housing and health services, benefiting hospitals through reduced uncompensated care and more stable patient populations.

  • Section 205 increases the limit on what federal banks can lend to one borrower from 15% to 20% of capital and surplus, which could benefit private equity firms by allowing them to access larger loans from banks for real estate investments, particularly in affordable housing projects.

  • Section 505(e) includes analysis of linkages between access to affordable health care and homelessness, which could extend to long-term care considerations for elderly homeless individuals, potentially benefiting long-term care providers through better coordination and referrals from housing programs.

+ 6 more industries not shown.

Who funds the sponsor on these industries

For each industry this bill affects, here's what the sponsor (Sen. Scott, Tim [R-SC])received from donors associated with that industry during the 2022–present cycles. Donations are not proof of intent — they are a record of who funds the people writing the law.

Industries this bill HELPS

  • from 11 contributions
    • MEHLMAN, KENNETH$16,500
    • KRAVIS, HENRY$9,900
    • MILLER, DAVE$3,300
    • BONDERMAN, DAVID$3,000
  • from 85 contributions
    • BECK, THOMAS$3,300
    • DIAZ, HECTOR$801
    • SIGMON, RICHARD$785
    • BROWN, BENJAMIN$435
    • DENNIS, CYNTHIA$276
  • from 104 contributions
    • LEAMAN, JOHANN$3,300
    • HARTER, DOROTHY$500
    • KAUFMAN, JOSEPH$469
    • HSRTER, DOROTHY$300
    • BAROWSKI, DELLA$232
  • from 105 contributions
    • GODDARD, DONALD$1,100
    • HORTON, ANGELA$929
    • KIRCHNER, ERIC$472
    • KING, STEVEN$396
    • TACKETT, LADDIE$362
  • from 4 contributions
    • MCGAHN, SHANNON$2,000
    • KILLMER, WILLIAM$1,000
    • ROBERTS, ALLISON$208
  • from 52 contributions
    • URBANIC, ARTHUR$562
    • SCHWIETERT, DAVID$500
    • TOLL, TED$400
    • GRAVES, NADA$300
    • KEIBER, TIMOTHY$277
  • from 20 contributions
    • SCHMIDT, LISA$450
    • HIESTAND, JOHN$306
    • FLANAGAN, KATHERINE$109
  • from 2 contributions
    • WARREN, JIM$500
    • SMITH, BRUCE$104
  • from 9 contributions
    • PIZZUTO, SUSAN$389

Project 2025 Policy Matches

This bill shows semantic similarity to the following sections of the Project 2025 policy document.

Introduction

Moderate62.1%
Pages: 548-550

— 515 — Department of Housing and Urban Development 25. Process must prioritize where political leadership can implement administrative reforms through regulatory action and subregulatory guidance reforms. 26. China and other foreign nations should not be able to disrupt our nation’s housing markets, including by artificially driving up prices and reducing affordability and access to housing for Americans who are crowded out of the market by such market participation. 27. These initiatives are maintained under such designations as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); critical race theory (CRT); black, indigenous, Pacific Islander, and other people of color (BIPOC); and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). 28. At a minimum, these efforts duplicate what the federal government already collects and assesses; at worst, they institute arbitrary procedures in real estate appraisal practices that undermine integrity and perversely introduce arbitrary biases into what should be an unbiased system for determining financial value. 29. Revise regulatory and subregulatory guidance, where applicable within statutory authorities, that adds unnecessary delay and costs to the construction and development of new housing and has been estimated to account for about 40 percent of new housing unit costs in multifamily housing. 30. The Biden Administration has issued a proposed rule to replace the Trump Administration’s “Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice” rule that had repealed earlier rules expanding AFFH enforcement. See U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Fair Housing, “Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice,” Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 85, No. 153 (August 7, 2020), pp. 47899–47912, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-07/pdf/2020-16320.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Secretary, “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing,” Proposed Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 88, No. 27 (February 9, 2023), pp. 8516–8590, https://www. govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-07-16/pdf/2015-17032.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 31. Certain pilot initiatives may encourage greater take-up of loan products designed for faster equity accumulation, including loans with shorter terms and accelerated amortization schedules. In concept, the FHA’s Home Equity Accelerator Loan (HEAL) and Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) pilot initiatives might lead to meaningful wealth generation for first-time buyers, but they should be available to all eligible households only when they do not arbitrarily discriminate based on race or other characteristics. 32. Housing supply does remain a problem in the U.S., but constructing more units at the low end of the market will not solve the problem. Investors and developers can deliver at more efficient cost new units that will allow for greater upward mobility of rental and ownership housing stock and better target increased construction of mid-tier rental units. Further, and more fundamental to the housing supply challenge in markets across the U.S., localities can consider revising land use, zoning, and building regulations that constrict new housing development, adding time delays and costs that impede construction. Federal housing policy should get out of the way where possible and minimize the distortive impact that stimulating greater demand through loose lending can have in driving up housing prices for households that are looking for affordable entry into the housing market. 33. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Secretary, “Housing and Community Development Act of 1980: Verification of Eligible Status,” Proposed Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 84, No. 91 (May 10, 2019), pp. 20589–20595, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-10/pdf/2019-09566.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 34. Reforms should contemplate rent payment flexibilities, allow escrow savings, and set maximum term limits that can reduce implicit penalties for increasing household incomes over eligibility terms for housing assistance and reweight waiting-list prioritization for two-parent households. 35. Some PHAs have been able to implement work requirements and term limit policies in various congressionally authorized demonstration programs, notably the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program established in 1996 for 39 PHAs (Congress has since authorized another 100 PHAs) in which participating MTW PHAs were given authority to implement rent reforms, work requirements and other experimental policies in rental assistance programs along with flexibilities in the use of capital and operating appropriations. 36. The FSS program has a general five-year term with a possible two-year extension, which could be applied at the term limit for overall benefits, and certain PHAs have imposed five-year to seven-year term limits. Families in these programs build escrow savings during their term eligibility that helps to facilitate successful transitions to family self-sufficiency and unassisted housing.

Introduction

Moderate62.1%
Pages: 548-550

— 515 — Department of Housing and Urban Development 25. Process must prioritize where political leadership can implement administrative reforms through regulatory action and subregulatory guidance reforms. 26. China and other foreign nations should not be able to disrupt our nation’s housing markets, including by artificially driving up prices and reducing affordability and access to housing for Americans who are crowded out of the market by such market participation. 27. These initiatives are maintained under such designations as diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI); critical race theory (CRT); black, indigenous, Pacific Islander, and other people of color (BIPOC); and environmental, social, and governance (ESG). 28. At a minimum, these efforts duplicate what the federal government already collects and assesses; at worst, they institute arbitrary procedures in real estate appraisal practices that undermine integrity and perversely introduce arbitrary biases into what should be an unbiased system for determining financial value. 29. Revise regulatory and subregulatory guidance, where applicable within statutory authorities, that adds unnecessary delay and costs to the construction and development of new housing and has been estimated to account for about 40 percent of new housing unit costs in multifamily housing. 30. The Biden Administration has issued a proposed rule to replace the Trump Administration’s “Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice” rule that had repealed earlier rules expanding AFFH enforcement. See U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Fair Housing, “Preserving Community and Neighborhood Choice,” Final Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 85, No. 153 (August 7, 2020), pp. 47899–47912, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-08-07/pdf/2020-16320.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023), and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Secretary, “Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing,” Proposed Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 88, No. 27 (February 9, 2023), pp. 8516–8590, https://www. govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2015-07-16/pdf/2015-17032.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 31. Certain pilot initiatives may encourage greater take-up of loan products designed for faster equity accumulation, including loans with shorter terms and accelerated amortization schedules. In concept, the FHA’s Home Equity Accelerator Loan (HEAL) and Good Neighbor Next Door (GNND) pilot initiatives might lead to meaningful wealth generation for first-time buyers, but they should be available to all eligible households only when they do not arbitrarily discriminate based on race or other characteristics. 32. Housing supply does remain a problem in the U.S., but constructing more units at the low end of the market will not solve the problem. Investors and developers can deliver at more efficient cost new units that will allow for greater upward mobility of rental and ownership housing stock and better target increased construction of mid-tier rental units. Further, and more fundamental to the housing supply challenge in markets across the U.S., localities can consider revising land use, zoning, and building regulations that constrict new housing development, adding time delays and costs that impede construction. Federal housing policy should get out of the way where possible and minimize the distortive impact that stimulating greater demand through loose lending can have in driving up housing prices for households that are looking for affordable entry into the housing market. 33. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Secretary, “Housing and Community Development Act of 1980: Verification of Eligible Status,” Proposed Rule, Federal Register, Vol. 84, No. 91 (May 10, 2019), pp. 20589–20595, https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2019-05-10/pdf/2019-09566.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 34. Reforms should contemplate rent payment flexibilities, allow escrow savings, and set maximum term limits that can reduce implicit penalties for increasing household incomes over eligibility terms for housing assistance and reweight waiting-list prioritization for two-parent households. 35. Some PHAs have been able to implement work requirements and term limit policies in various congressionally authorized demonstration programs, notably the Moving to Work (MTW) demonstration program established in 1996 for 39 PHAs (Congress has since authorized another 100 PHAs) in which participating MTW PHAs were given authority to implement rent reforms, work requirements and other experimental policies in rental assistance programs along with flexibilities in the use of capital and operating appropriations. 36. The FSS program has a general five-year term with a possible two-year extension, which could be applied at the term limit for overall benefits, and certain PHAs have imposed five-year to seven-year term limits. Families in these programs build escrow savings during their term eligibility that helps to facilitate successful transitions to family self-sufficiency and unassisted housing. — 516 — Mandate for Leadership: The Conservative Promise 37. HUD should implement administrative changes in regulation and guidance and seek statutory authority to end all Housing First directives of Continuum of Care (CoC) grantees and contract homelessness providers in addition to establishing restrictions on local Housing First policies where HUD grant funds are used. 38. The U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) was established in the 1990s, and numerous Administrations have devoted enormous resources to the Housing First model, experimenting with various ways to provide federally financed rapid rehousing and permanent housing opportunities. Housing First is a far-left idea premised on the belief that homelessness is primarily circumstantial rather than behavioral. The Housing First answer to homelessness is to give someone a house instead of attempting to understand the underlying causes of homelessness. Federal intervention centered on Housing First has failed to acknowledge that resolving the issue of homelessness is often a matter of resolving mental health and substance abuse challenges. Instead of the permanent supportive housing proffered by Housing First, a conservative Administration should shift to transitional housing with a focus on addressing the underlying issues that cause homelessness in the first place. 39. The Senate Low-Income First-Time Homebuyers (LIFT) Act would address this policy goal. See S. 2797, Low-Income First-Time Homebuyers Act of 2021 (LIFT Homebuyers Act of 2021), 117th Congress, introduced September 22, 2021, https://www.congress.gov/117/bills/s2797/BILLS-117s2797is.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 40. FHA did not facilitate the widespread use of 30-year mortgages until the 1950s when, interacting with Federal Reserve policies, federal agencies began broader adoption of the mortgages, which, despite lowering the monthly repayment terms, result in slow equity accumulation and wealth-building opportunities. 41. The Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 fundamentally revised the scope of federal regulation in the nation’s housing finance system, placing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under the purview of a newly established Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and establishing a Housing Trust Fund (HTF) that is administered in the HUD Office of Community Planning and Development. See H.R. 3221, Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, Public Law No. 110-289, 110th Congress, July 30, 2008, https://www.congress. gov/110/plaws/publ289/PLAW-110publ289.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 42. Guiding questions: What reforms should be proposed that could be accomplished within five years? What reforms can be done administratively, and what reforms would need legislative authorization? Are there functions that HUD administers that could be achieved more effectively at another department or agency? What big-picture reforms should be proposed that might take more than five years that would reorganize HUD and its programs to meet the objectives in the vision or mission? What would occur in the absence of these public finance subsidies? How much crowd-out do these subsidies create in the market? Would America be a seriously underhoused nation without these subsidies? Who are the policies intended to benefit? What organizational changes must be made? 43. The Faircloth Amendment (Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998) amended the Housing Act of 1937 to maintain public housing units at 1999 levels, preventing housing authorities from maintaining more public housing than they did then. H.R. 4194, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999, Public Law No. 105-276, 105th Congress, October 21, 1998, Title V, https://www.congress.gov/105/plaws/publ276/PLAW-105publ276.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). In recent years, the statutory restriction on new construction of public housing units has been circumvented through some narrow uses of preservation programs such as the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, initially authorized in 2012 and reauthorized several times since under higher program unit conversion caps. Congress also provided paths for renewal and continuation of a portion of existing public housing; project/site-based housing stock (refinancing with long-term HAP contract commitments); and Section 8 units through the Multifamily Assisted Housing Reform and Affordability Act of 1997 (MAHRA). H.R. 2158, Departments of Veterans Affairs and Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies Appropriations Act, 1998, Public Law No. 105-65, 105th Congress, October 27, 1997, Title V, https://www.congress.gov/105/plaws/publ65/PLAW-105publ65.pdf (accessed March 5, 2023). 44. As the evolution of HUD rental assistance transitions away from the public housing model toward housing choice vouchers, there should be adequate landlord participation to ensure that the supply of housing units for rent in these programs meets the demand for rent among eligible tenants. This issue has been addressed in various ways, including by a task force instituted at the department during the Trump Administration, but could likely remain a challenge in the administration of the program.

About These Correlations

Policy matches are calculated using semantic similarity between bill summaries and Project 2025 policy text. A score of 60% or higher indicates meaningful thematic overlap. This does not imply direct causation or intent, but highlights areas where legislation aligns with Project 2025 policy objectives.

Full Policy Text

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