The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11. Passed with strong bipartisan margins, the Act's central aim is housing affordability, tackled through a mix of supply-side incentives, loosened rules for manufactured and modular construction, expanded homeownership and lending access, and new limits on institutional investors buying up single-family homes.
Notable provisions:

• HUD must issue guidelines permitting single-stairway residential buildings up to six stories, backed by pilot grants to test the approach

• A new $200 million-per-year competitive "Innovation Fund" rewards local governments that demonstrably boost housing supply via zoning reform, faster permitting, or density bonuses. 

• The permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes is eliminated. 

• A pilot program of FHA-backed small-dollar mortgages (loans under $100,000).

• Institutional investors holding 350+ single-family homes are barred from acquiring more.

• The HOME Investment Partnerships program is reauthorized with reforms.

• Banks now qualify for longer examination cycles at a higher asset threshold, raised from $3 billion to $6 billion.

The Act comes against a backdrop of national median home prices hitting $446,000 in June, with 30-year fixed mortgage rates sitting around 6.5%.
On the state level, two companion bills in Pennsylvania — SB1346 from Sen. Greg Rothman (R-Cumberland) and HB2186 from Rep. John Inglis (D-Allegheny) — would grant homeowners the right to build accessory dwelling units on lots zoned for single-family use. Rep. Inglis framed ADUs as a way to add housing stock without altering neighborhood character, noting that whether it's a garage apartment, backyard cottage, or converted basement, these units give homeowners more flexibility while expanding affordable housing options.​