Build More Housing Near Transit Act of 2025

This bill encourages more homes near public transit by changing how certain federal transit grants are scored. Transit projects can get a small boost in their rating if the city or state around the project has “pro-housing” policies within walking distance of stations. Examples include cutting parking minimums, allowing by-right approval for apartment buildings using clear, objective rules, reducing minimum lot sizes, using public land for housing with many affordable units, and raising height or unit limits. The housing and transportation departments would work together on how to measure the number of new and preserved homes, including homes below the area’s median income, that these policies are expected to produce over the life of the project .

The goal is to reward communities that make it easier to build homes near transit and to track the results. The federal transit agency would also report which projects received the rating boost and how many homes are expected because of these policies, including affordable units .

Key points:

• Who is affected: Transit agencies applying for federal capital grants, local and state governments near transit lines, and residents who need more housing options near transit .
• What changes: Projects can receive a one-point increase on a five-point rating scale if nearby areas adopt pro-housing policies; clear examples of such policies are listed; and federal agencies will measure and report expected housing outcomes, including affordable units .
• When: Applies to the evaluation of projects going forward under the updated grant scoring and reporting rules described in the bill .