February 9, 2026
****************************************************
National Taxpayers Union urges all representatives to vote “YES” on H.R. 6644, the “Housing for the 21st Century Act,” authored by Rep. French Hill (R-AR). This bipartisan legislation will help expand America’s housing supply by dismantling costly government barriers and promoting greater transparency and accountability in local zoning and development policies.
America’s affordable housing shortage is driven largely by exclusionary zoning and restrictive land-use policies. Imposed at the local level, these regulations make it harder, slower, and more expensive for the private sector to build homes in communities where demand is strongest. The result is a government-created housing imbalance that pushes prices higher and places growing financial strain on working- and middle-class Americans.
Thankfully, this package introduces reforms intended to help level the imbalance between supply and demand. It includes provisions encouraging states and localities to modernize outdated zoning rules, streamline permitting, and remove barriers that prevent housing supply from keeping pace with population and economic growth—all the while avoiding new spending authorizations that taxpayers would have to bear.
Specifically, the bill eliminates unnecessary requirements pertaining to environmental reviews, helping to spur the development of more affordable housing and reducing costly delays. It would exempt certain activities from environmental review requirements, such as tenant-based rental assistance and work to support homebuyers purchasing an existing dwelling or one in need of emergency repairs. The bill would also reduce red tape barriers for small scale housing construction and rehabilitation.
The bill also directs HUD to issue voluntary guidelines to help local governments modernize outdated zoning frameworks and identify barriers to housing development. By highlighting burdensome practices—such as restrictive zoning rules, excessive building fees, duplicative environmental requirements, and parking mandates—that impede new construction, the legislation offers communities a practical roadmap to expand housing supply in ways that reflect local needs and priorities.
Families nationwide depend on a housing market that is affordable, and this legislation is a practical and bipartisan step toward achieving that goal.
Roll call votes on H.R. 6644 will be included in NTU’s annual rating of Congress and “YES” votes will be considered the pro-taxpayer position.
If you have any questions, please contact NTU’s Senior Director of Government Affairs Thomas Aiello at Taiello@ntu.org
*********************************************************