119-s2361

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2361 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2361

 To provide grants to units of general local government related to pre-
 reviewed designs for mixed-income housing, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 21, 2025

 Ms. Blunt Rochester (for herself and Mr. Moreno) introduced the 
 following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 
 Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To provide grants to units of general local government related to pre-
 reviewed designs for mixed-income housing, 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 ``Accelerating Home Building Act of 
2025''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

 Congress finds the following:

    (1) The United States faces an acute housing supply crisis. 
 As of 2023, the United States faced an estimated housing 
 shortage of 4,870,000 units.

    (2) An increasing share of households are cost-burdened or 
 severely cost-burdened. In 2023, 24 percent of all homeowner 
 households and 50 percent of all renter households were cost-
 burdened.

    (3) Complex and restrictive land use regulations, 
 permitting processes, and related regulatory burdens hinder 
 housing production and drive housing costs.

    (4) Pre-reviewed designs, also known as pattern books, are 
 sets of construction plans that are assessed and approved by 
 localities for compliance with local building and zoning 
 standards to streamline approval pathways for construction.

    (5) For developers, faster and more predictable permitting 
 through pre-reviewed designs increases access to housing 
 development opportunities and makes new home construction 
 possible.

    (6) For communities, pre-reviewed designs ensure that 
 future development includes positive design features while 
 simplifying review of construction plans.

    (7) Developing pre-reviewed designs strikes a balance 
 between local architectural features and rapid home 
 construction.

SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

    (a) In this Act:

    (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) Covered structure.--The term ``covered structure'' 
 means--
        (A) a low-rise or mid-rise structure with not more 
 than 25 dwelling units; and
        (B) includes--
            (i) an accessory dwelling unit;
            (ii) infill development;
            (iii) a duplex;
            (iv) a triplex;
            (v) a fourplex;
            (vi) a cottage court;
            (vii) a courtyard building;
            (viii) a townhouse;
            (ix) a multiplex; and
            (x) any other structure with not less than 
 2 dwelling units that the Secretary considers 
 appropriate.

    (3) Eligible entity.--The term ``eligible entity'' means--
        (A) a unit of general local government, as defined 
 in 

section 102

    (a) of the Housing and Community 
 Development Act of 1974 (42 U.S.C. 5302

    (a) );
        (B) a municipal membership organization; and
            (C) an Indian tribe, as defined in 

section 102

    (a) of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 
 (42 U.S.C. 5302

    (a) ).

    (4) High opportunity area.--The term ``high opportunity 
 area'' has the meaning given the term in 

section 1282.1 of 
 title 12, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor 
 regulation.

    (5) Infill development.--The term ``infill development'' 
 means residential development on small parcels in previously 
 established areas for replacement by new or refurbished housing 
 that utilizes existing utilities and infrastructure.

    (6) Mixed-income housing.--The term ``mixed-income 
 housing'' means a housing development that is comprised of 
 housing units that promote differing levels of affordability in 
 the community.

    (7) Pre-reviewed design.--The term ``pre-reviewed design'' 
 means a construction plan that is assessed and approved by a 
 locality for compliance with local building and zoning 
 standards to streamline approval pathways for construction.

    (8) Rural area.--The term ``rural area'' means any area 
 other than a city or town that has a population of greater than 
 50,000 inhabitants.

    (9) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
 of Housing and Urban Development.

SEC. 4. GRANTS FOR ESTABLISHING PRE-REVIEWED DESIGNS FOR MIXED-INCOME 
 HOUSING.

    (a) Authority.--The Secretary may award grants to eligible entities 
to establish designs of covered structures for use in the jurisdiction 
of the eligible entity that the eligible entity pre-reviews as mixed-
income housing.

    (b) Considerations.--In reviewing applications submitted by 
eligible entities for a grant under this section, the Secretary shall 
consider--

    (1) the need for affordable housing by the eligible entity;

    (2) the presence of high opportunity areas in the 
 jurisdiction of the eligible entity;

    (3) coordination between the eligible entity and a 
 regulating or non-regulating State agency;

    (4) coordination between the eligible entity and State, 
 local, and regional transportation planning authorities; and

    (5) steps the eligible entity has taken to reduce barriers 
 to housing development related to land use regulations, 
 permitting, or related procedural issues.
            (c) Set-Aside for Rural Areas.--Of the amount made available in 
each fiscal year for grants under this section, the Secretary shall 
ensure that not less than 10 percent shall be used for grants to 
eligible entities that are located in rural areas.
            (d) Reports.--The Secretary shall require eligible entities 
receiving grants under this section to report on--

    (1) the impacts of the activities carried out using the 
 grant amounts in improving the production and supply of 
 affordable housing;

    (2) the pre-reviewed designs established using the grant 
 amounts in their communities;

    (3) the number of permits for pre-reviewed designs issued; 
 and

    (4) the number of housing units produced using the pre-
 reviewed designs.

    (e) Availability of Information.--The Secretary shall--

    (1) to the extent possible, encourage localities to make 
 publicly available through a website information on the pre-
 reviewed designs submitted by eligible entities receiving 
 grants under this section, including information on the 
 benefits of use of those designs; and

    (2) collect, identify, and disseminate best practices 
 regarding such designs to interested localities and parties.

    (f) Repayment.--The Secretary may require an eligible entity to 
return to the Secretary any grant funds received under this section if 
the pre-reviewed designs submitted under this section have not been 
approved during the 5-year period following receipt of the grant, 
unless that period is extended by the Secretary.

    (g) Authorization of Appropriations.--

    (1) In general.--There is authorized to be appropriated to 
 the Secretary to carry out this section $15,000,000 for each of 
 fiscal years 2027 through 2031.

    (2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may set aside not 
 more than 10 percent of amounts appropriated under paragraph

    (1) in a fiscal year to provide technical assistance to grant 
 recipients under this section and pre-grant technical 
 assistance for prospective applicants.
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