H.R. 9733: Interagency Council on Affordable Housing Act of 2026

This bill would create a new federal coordinating body called the United States Interagency Council on Housing Affordability and Preservation. Its main purpose would be to help the federal government work more consistently on preserving and increasing affordable housing, improving fairness in the rental market, and supporting fair housing goals.

What the new council would do

The council would be made up of leaders, or their designees, from a wide range of federal departments and agencies, including Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, Treasury, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Health and Human Services, Education, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Energy, Homeland Security, Interior, Transportation, the Social Security Administration, the Postal Service, and others.

The council would meet at least four times a year. Its chair and vice chair would rotate annually among members. Members would not receive extra pay for serving.

Main responsibilities

Within one year, the council would have to prepare a national strategic plan to preserve affordable housing, make it available for public comment, and submit it to the President and Congress. It would then update that plan every year.

It would also:

• review federal housing-related programs, including public housing, affordable housing production, and housing voucher programs;
• monitor and recommend improvements to federal, state, local, and nonprofit efforts that support affordable housing;
• provide technical assistance to states, local governments, and nonprofit groups;
• encourage states to form their own housing affordability councils;
• help identify federal benefits and resources that low-income people may be eligible for;
• support better coordination among programs that serve people experiencing homelessness;
• conduct research and evaluations;
• create joint federal initiatives related to its mission; and
• publish a bimonthly bulletin describing federal housing resources available to states and local organizations.

Reporting and oversight

Each member agency would have to report within 90 days of enactment, and then yearly, on:

• the affordable housing programs it runs;
• how many people are served;
• barriers that make it harder for people to use those programs; and
• steps taken to improve access to housing, supportive services, and related legal services.

The council itself would also have to issue an annual report to the President and Congress describing the scope of affordable housing problems, federal efforts to address them, the council’s own activities, the level of federal help needed, and any recommended legislative or administrative changes.

If the council identifies serious problems, misuse, or deficiencies in another federal housing-related program, it would notify that agency’s Inspector General or agency head.

State and local involvement

The bill would require each state to name a contact person to receive information from the council. It would also encourage states to set up their own interagency housing councils or choose a lead agency to coordinate with the federal council.

Staffing and funding

The council would have an executive director and could hire additional staff, use detailees from other agencies, and obtain administrative support from HUD. The bill authorizes $4.8 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to carry out the law.

Relevant Companies

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