“A leap in the right direction”:
What’s in the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025

A blog empowering Hispanic homeownership through advocacy and policy.

By Elizabeth Nimmons
August 7, 2025

Last week, the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee advanced the Reforming and Optimizing Access to Domestic (ROAD) Housing Act of 2025, the largest housing package introduced since the 2008 housing crisis. ROAD to Housing is comprised of 40 separate provisions, including 27 previously introduced bills, a staggering 23 of which have bipartisan support. This comprehensive legislation touches on issues ranging from financial literacy and rental assistance to manufactured and rural housing. As Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-SC) said, with ROAD to Housing “we’re taking not a step – but we’re taking a leap in the right direction” on an issue that affects every American: the housing supply and affordability crisis.

While the full bill addresses a wide array of housing issues, this post highlights several key provisions that align with NAHREP’s mission to advance sustainable Hispanic homeownership, expand access to affordable housing, and promote equitable development.

Key Features of the ROAD to Housing Act:

Housing Supply Frameworks Act: NAHREP has long advocated for the reform of local zoning and land-use policies that often limit housing supply by placing restrictions on what can be built where. The Housing Supply Frameworks Act, endorsed by NAHREP, would require the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to convene a task force to develop and promote best practices for zoning and land-use reform. This provision of the bill would encourage states and localities to adopt much needed land-use reforms to increase housing supply and address the affordability crisis.

Whole-Home Repairs Act: America’s existing housing stock is aging with many units requiring repair to remain safe and habitable. The Whole-Home Repairs Act would establish a five-year pilot program at HUD to provide grants and forgivable loans to low- and moderate-income homeowners, tenants, and small landlords for essential home repairs and health hazard mitigation. This provision aims to stabilize existing housing stock while preserving affordability, thereby supporting neighborhood revitalization and long-term housing sustainability.

Build More Housing Near Transit Act: Constructing new housing near public transit has the potential to significantly cut transportation costs, connect employees with job opportunities, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The Build More Housing Near Transit Act, also endorsed by NAHREP, would provide higher ratings in the Federal Transit Authority’s evaluation process for those transit projects in areas that establish pro-housing policy near public transit. This provision would incentivize localities to build more housing near public transportation hubs. This approach helps ensure that new public transportation investments are matched by new housing opportunities, especially critical for low-income and immigrant communities who depend on transit access.

Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act: Factory-built and manufactured housing can play a critical role in closing the housing supply gap, especially in underserved markets. The Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act modernizes lending standards under the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) to improve financing options for manufactured homes and directs HUD to study their long-term cost-effectiveness. The provision aims to expand financing access while exploring innovative, lower-cost housing production strategies.

Creating incentives for small dollar loan originations: The limited availability of small dollar mortgages is a persistent barrier to homeownership, particularly for first-time buyers in lower-cost markets. The provision to create incentives for small dollar loan originations, which had not been previously introduced as a standalone bill, requires the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to examine how loan originator compensation structures affect the availability of these mortgages and consider regulatory changes to encourage more small-dollar lending. Addressing this market failure could open the door to homeownership for thousands of creditworthy Latino households currently locked out of the system because of limited access to credit.

Why It Matters and What You Can Do

The ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 marks a long-overdue step forward in federal efforts to address the housing crisis. Its homeownership-focused provisions, including zoning reform incentives, support for small-dollar mortgage lending, manufactured housing finance, and home repair assistance, reflect priorities that NAHREP has long championed.

For this bill to become law and make a meaningful impact, it needs broad support from lawmakers across both chambers of Congress. NAHREP members are uniquely positioned to speak to the importance of these reforms and the real-world barriers their clients face in accessing homeownership.

We encourage you to contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives to voice your support for the ROAD to Housing Act, with a particular emphasis on the provisions that expand access to sustainable homeownership. Your engagement can help shape federal policy and open the door to homeownership for more families across the country.

For more information on ROAD to Housing, see the full bill text or section-by-section summary.