H.R. 2494: To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to annually submit to the Congr… (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill aims to address the ongoing housing crisis in the United States by requiring the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide annual reports to Congress. These reports will focus on state and local efforts to promote affordable housing, which is increasingly important given the significant shortage of housing units in the country and the rising costs that renters and buyers face.

Key Findings

The U.S. is experiencing a housing crisis, with a deficit of millions of housing units.
Many renters are spending over a third of their income on housing, while prospective buyers are struggling to find affordable options.
States play a crucial role in regulating aspects that contribute to affordable housing availability.
Various state initiatives, including zoning reforms, have been undertaken to combat the housing crisis.
The federal government needs to identify successful state strategies to provide effective support against the crisis.
A regulatory barriers clearinghouse exists as an informational resource on state and local laws related to affordable housing.
This clearinghouse aims to help federal responses by making relevant information available.

Annual Reporting Requirements

To facilitate understanding of successful local strategies, the bill mandates that the annual report from HUD includes:

A detailed analysis of the information related to state and local affordable housing strategies.
Policy recommendations derived from the analysis, intended to assist Congress in enhancing successful housing initiatives.

Purpose of the Bill

The ultimate goal of this bill is to enhance the federal government's ability to aid states in their efforts to alleviate the affordable housing crisis through informed policy-making and support based on state and local successes.