[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8171 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8171
To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a
demonstration program to develop workforce housing and affordable
housing in areas where the workforce is expanding significantly, and
for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 2, 2026
Mr. Ciscomani (for himself and Mr. Quigley) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in
addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration
of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee
concerned
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to establish a
demonstration program to develop workforce housing and affordable
housing in areas where the workforce is expanding significantly, and
for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Facilitating Accelerated Supply of
Targeted Housing Act'' or the ``FAST Housing Act''.
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WORKFORCE AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
(a) Establishment.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the
enactment of this section, the Secretary of Housing and Urban
Development shall establish a demonstration program to award not more
than 15 grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities to develop
workforce housing and affordable housing in areas within the
jurisdiction of such entity where such entity has determined that the
workforce is expanding significantly.
(b) Application.--
(1) In general.--To be eligible for a grant under this
section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the
Secretary at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may
reasonably require.
(2) Required inclusions.--
(A) In general.--In an application for a grant
under this subsection, an eligible entity shall
include--
(i) a list of existing laws, regulations,
and policies effective in the jurisdiction of
such entity that facilitate the development of
workforce housing; and
(ii) a list of proposed laws, regulations,
or policies that such entity intends to adopt
that will reform zoning and facilitate the
development of workforce housing, and a
timeline for the adoption and implementation of
such law, regulations, or policies.
(B) Types of reforms.--Types of laws, regulations,
or policies that reform zoning and facilitate the
development of workforce housing and affordable housing
include--
(i) upzoning, including by-right
development of mixed use, higher density, and
accessory dwelling units;
(ii) expedited permitting with set,
shortened review timelines;
(iii) by-right zoning for multifamily
residential development near public transit;
(iv) activities that reduce barriers to
placing manufactured and modular housing;
(v) removal of parking minimums; and
(vi) reductions of minimum lot size
requirements.
(c) Priority.--When awarding grants under this section, the
Secretary shall give priority to eligible entities whose removal or
streamlining of regulatory barriers has, as determined by the
Secretary, most increased the amount of workforce housing and
affordable housing in the jurisdiction of such eligible entity.
(d) Variety of Geographic Areas.--When selecting eligible entities
to receive amounts under this section, the Secretary of Housing and
Urban Development shall, to the extent practicable based on the
eligible entities that apply, strive to provide amounts to eligible
entities in a variety of geographic areas, so that the impact of the
demonstration program can be evaluated in urban, suburban, and rural
areas.
(e) Use of Amounts.--
(1) In general.--An eligible entity shall use any amounts
provided under this section to finance--
(A) costs associated with converting commercial
space into workforce housing and affordable housing
though private-public partnerships, including physical
improvements, rehabilitation and development of such
space;
(B) costs associated with developing,
rehabilitating, and physically improving workforce
housing and affordable housing though private-public
partnerships;
(C) technical assistance for housing developers;
and
(D) the identification and acquisition of
properties that can be used to develop new and
rehabilitated workforce housing and affordable housing
in high-opportunity, mixed-income neighborhoods.
(2) 30 percent used for affordable housing.--Each eligible
entity shall ensure that not less than 30 percent of the
workforce housing units created, rehabilitated or improved by
such eligible entity using amounts provided under this section
are affordable housing units.
(f) Term.--Each eligible entity shall ensure that each workforce
housing unit or affordable housing unit created, rehabilitated or
improved by such eligible entity using amounts provided under this
section remains a workforce housing unit or affordable housing unit for
not a period of not less than 5 years and after the conclusion of such
period remains in compliance with any requirements established by the
Secretary for workforce housing assisted under this section.
(g) Technical Assistance.--The Secretary shall provide technical
assistance to eligible entities that are awarded a grant under this
subsection with respect to using such grant amounts in conjunction with
other Federally funded housing assistance programs.
(h) Study.--The Secretary shall, not later than 18 months after the
Secretary provides a grant under this section, and each year thereafter
that the demonstration program is active, conduct a study to examine
the effectiveness of the demonstration program that includes--
(1) an evaluation of the impact of the demonstration
program on the timeline of approval, construction, and number
of new workforce housing units; and
(2) a comparison of such timelines in communities that
participated in the demonstration program and communities that
did not participate in the demonstration program.
(i) Use of Unobligated COVID Funds.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 30 days after the date of
the enactment of this section, the Secretary of the Treasury
shall identify all Covid funds and transfer 10 percent of such
amounts to the Secretary to carry out this section.
(2) Availability and use.--Amounts transferred under this
section shall remain available until expended.
(j) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Affordable housing.--The term ``affordable housing''
means housing for which the total monthly housing cost payment
is not more than 30 percent of the monthly household income for
a household earning not more than 80 percent of the area median
income.
(2) Covid funds.--The term ``Covid funds'' means amounts
made available under--
(A) the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response
Supplemental Appropriations Act;
(B) the Families First Coronavirus Response Act;
(C) the CARES Act;
(D) the Paycheck Protection Program and Health Care
Enhancement Act;
(E) the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021;
and
(F) the American Rescue Plan Act.
(3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means a
unit of local government or a public housing agency that has
can demonstrate that--
(A) the workforce in its area of jurisdiction has
expanded as a result of Federal investments made
through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act or
the CHIPS and Science Act; and
(B) can demonstrate that there is a housing supply
shortage in its area of jurisdiction, including by
showing low vacancy rates, rapid price increases, or
high housing cost burdens.
(4) Public housing agency.--The term ``public housing
agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 3 of the
United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437a).
(5) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary
of Housing and Urban Development.
(6) Workforce housing.--
(A) In general.--The term ``workforce housing''
means--
(i) housing for which the total monthly
housing cost payment does not exceed 30 percent
of the amount equal to 120 percent of the
median income in the area, as determined by the
Secretary, with appropriate adjustments for the
size of the household; and
(ii) housing made available for purchase at
a rate that does not exceed 110 percent of the
median price in the area for a comparable
housing unit, as determined by the Secretary.
(B) Adjustments.--The Secretary may adjust the
amounts described in subparagraph (A) if the Secretary
determines that such adjustments are appropriate
because of unusually high or low incomes in the area.
<all>
FAST Housing Act
#8171 | HR Congress #119
Subjects:
Last Action: Referred to the Committee on Financial Services, and in addition to the Committee on Appropriations, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. (4/2/2026)
Bill Text Source: Congress.gov
Summary and Impacts
Original Text