Moran’s bills passed the Senate as part of the updated 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which now goes to the House
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran on Monday applauded the passage of his rural housing bills as part of the updated 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed the Senate with a vote of 85 to 5.
The legislation, which was negotiated by the Senate Banking Committee and House Financial Services Committee, now goes to the U.S. House of Representatives for a vote.
“There is high demand for rural housing in Kansas and across the country, underscoring the need for practical and innovative solutions,” said Sen. Moran. “This legislation will streamline rural housing programs, reduce unnecessary bureaucratic barriers and help expand access to affordable housing for rural families. I urge the House to pass this legislation and send it to the President to be signed into law to strengthen rural America and help more families access to affordable housing.”Sen. Moran’s rural housing priorities passed by the Senate:
- Streamlining rural housing regulations – Sen. Moran introduced the bipartisan Streamlining Rural Housing Act, which would simplify the regulatory process for developers by requiring the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to align housing standards. The legislation would help lower costs and shorten project timelines for developers, allowing them to address growing housing needs more efficiently in Kansas and across the country.
- Supporting affordable housing in rural communities – Sen. Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Rural Housing Service Reform Act, which would strengthen federal rural housing programs and bolster the supply of affordable housing in rural America by improving and building upon USDA rural housing programs.
- Reducing bureaucratic barriers within federal housing programs – Sen. Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Choice in Affordable Housing Act, which would expand access to affordable housing by reducing HUD inspection delays and allowing units financed through other federal housing programs to automatically satisfy voucher inspection requirements if they are inspected within the past year. The legislation also allows new landlords to request pre-inspections to increase access to housing and encourage landlord participation.
- Increasing veterans’ access to affordable housing – Sen. Moran cosponsored the bipartisan Veterans Affairs Loan Information Disclosure (VALID) Act, which would update Federal Housing Administration (FHA) mortgage disclosures to include Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loans alongside FHA and conventional loan options. The legislation would also allow lenders to collect voluntarily provided information regarding an applicant's military service, so they can connect eligible veterans and servicemembers with information about VA loan options early in the homebuying process.