S. 2363: Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2025, aims to encourage the development of affordable housing near public transit systems by modifying federal grant criteria and enabling pro-housing policies. Here are the main points of the bill:

Capital Investment Grants

The bill amends Section 5309 of Title 49 of the United States Code, which governs capital investment grants. This section will now incorporate affordable housing incentives where applicable.

Definition of Pro-Housing Policies

The bill provides a definition for pro-housing policy. This encompasses any state or local actions that:

• Remove barriers for constructing or maintaining housing units, particularly affordable ones.
• Include actions like:
• Reducing or eliminating parking minimums required for new developments.
• Implementing a by-right approval process for multi-family housing, simplifying development approvals based on objective standards without subjective judgment from public officials.
• Reducing or eliminating minimum lot sizes for housing developments.
• Committing publicly-owned land for the development or upkeep of affordable housing units.
• Raising limitations on building heights or the number of units that can be built under a streamlined approval process.
• Adopting other related policies determined in consultation with relevant governmental secretaries.

Project Evaluation Adjustments

The bill includes provisions for adjusting project ratings based on the incorporation of pro-housing policies. Specifically:

• If an applicant for a capital investment grant demonstrates evidence of implementing pro-housing policies in areas near transit facilities, the project may receive an increased rating (by one point) on a scale from high to low, improving its eligibility and prospects for grant funding.
• This adjustment would be evaluated in correlation with housing demand and the anticipated number of affordable units that could result from these policies.

Reporting Requirements

The bill mandates that information on projects benefiting from pro-housing policy adjustments, including the expected contribution to affordable housing, must be reported to track progress and outcomes tied to these policies.

Overall Goals

The overarching goal of the bill is to stimulate the creation of affordable housing options close to transit services, thereby improving access to public transportation and reducing transportation costs for residents.

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