The U.S. Senate passed Sen. John Kennedy’s Build Now Act on Mar. 13 as part of the broader 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a legislative package aimed at addressing housing shortages and affordability. The bill now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration before it can be signed into law by the president.
The passage of this legislation is significant because it seeks to increase home construction by linking federal funding to cities’ rates of building new homes, with the goal of making homeownership more attainable for young families facing high housing costs.
Kennedy said, “The Senate’s passage of my Build Now Act marks a significant step toward making the American Dream of homeownership achievable again for young families. For too long, red tape has stalled home construction and driven up housing prices. My bill rewards communities that actually build homes rather than block them. I look forward to seeing it become law and get our communities building again.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren joined Kennedy in introducing the bill and said, “Americans are suffering under sky-high housing prices caused by a worsening housing shortage. The Senate passed landmark legislation to lower housing costs, including a bill that I introduced with Senator Kennedy to reward communities that are taking bold action to build more housing. It’s time for the House to pass the 21st Century Road to Housing Act.”
Currently, grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Program are distributed regardless of local homebuilding rates. Under Kennedy’s proposal, HUD would remove 10% of these funds from cities below the national median growth rate in homebuilding and reallocate them proportionally to cities exceeding that rate. Cities with higher growth would receive larger shares, while areas with lower median home values or recent disaster declarations would be exempt from adjustments.
Kennedy has previously advocated for policies supporting increased home construction without expanding federal control over local decisions. He questioned nominees for key federal positions about affordable housing policy failures and promoted a system incentivizing localities through funding adjustments based on performance.
According to the official website, Kennedy represented all of Louisiana in the Senate and engaged constituents through newsletters, town halls, and public events according to the official website. He operated district offices across several Louisiana cities according to the official website and advanced policies supporting veterans, farmers, small businesses, and national security according to the official website. Kennedy also chaired the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs while serving on Appropriations, Budget, and Energy and Natural Resources committees according to the official website, influencing policy through his committee work according to the official website.
As Congress considers next steps on this legislation package, supporters say its provisions could help address persistent challenges in America’s housing market.
