Finding Market-Based and Local Solutions to Ensure Access to Housing Act

I 116TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. R. 4956 To provide that the Executive order entitled ‘‘Establishing a White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing’’ shall have the force and effect of law, and for other purposes. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 31, 2019 Ms. FOXX of North Carolina (for herself and Mrs. WAGNER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services A BILL To provide that the Executive order entitled ‘‘Establishing a White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Bar- riers to Affordable Housing’’ shall have the force and effect of law, and for other purposes. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa- 1 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 2 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 3 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Finding Market-Based 4 and Local Solutions to Ensure Access to Housing Act’’. 5 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 6 The Congress finds the following: 7 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:33 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4956.IH H4956 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 2 •HR 4956 IH (1) Communities across the country are facing 1 an affordable housing crisis. 2 (2) Families who pay more than 30 percent of 3 their income for housing are considered cost bur- 4 dened and may have difficulty affording necessities 5 such as food, clothing, transportation, and medical 6 care. 7 (3) The Department of Housing and Urban De- 8 velopment estimates 12,000,000 renter and home- 9 owner households now pay more than 50 percent of 10 their annual incomes for housing. 11 (4) The prohibitive cost of housing slows eco- 12 nomic growth and means fewer jobs and lower 13 wages. 14 (5) Housing demand depends on local demo- 15 graphics, job markets, and place-based amenities. 16 (6) Housing supply depends on local availability 17 of land and the cost and complexity of housing de- 18 velopment. 19 (7) Land-use restrictions are a significant fac- 20 tor in housing supply and prices. 21 (8) There is evidence that exclusionary and re- 22 strictive zoning raises housing prices and restricts 23 the supply of housing across the country. 24 (9) Housing markets are local. 25 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:33 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4956.IH H4956 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 3 •HR 4956 IH (10) Exclusionary and restrictive zoning policies 1 that affect development are adopted by local govern- 2 ments. 3 (11) The Federal Government has limited con- 4 trol over State and local land-use policy and zoning. 5 (12) To understand and correct housing short- 6 ages, Federal, State, and local governments need to 7 look at all options. 8 (13) Housing is critical for health, economic 9 stability, and academic success. 10 SEC. 3. LEGAL EFFECT. 11 Notwithstanding any other provision of law or Execu- 12 tive order, Executive Order 13878 (84 Fed. Reg. 30853), 13 signed on June 25, 2019, and entitled ‘‘Establishing a 14 White House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers 15 to Affordable Housing’’ shall have the force and effect of 16 law. 17 SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS. 18 (a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the 19 date of the enactment of this Act, the White House Coun- 20 cil on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable 21 Housing shall submit to the Congress a report on the im- 22 plementation, by the Council, of section 4 of Executive 23 Order 13878 (84 Fed. Reg. 30853). 24 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:33 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H4956.IH H4956 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS 4 •HR 4956 IH (b) SUBSEQUENT REPORTS.—The White House 1 Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable 2 Housing shall submit any subsequent report that the Con- 3 gress may request or that the Council may deem appro- 4 priate. 5 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:33 Nov 08, 2019 Jkt 099200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\H4956.IH H4956 pamtmann on DSKBC07HB2PROD with BILLS