Creates a federal program that awards competitive grants to carry out neighborhood “transformation plans” in areas with concentrated extreme poverty and severely distressed housing. The program funds rebuilding and rehabilitating public or assisted housing, requires strong tenant protections (relocation help, a right to return, one‑for‑one replacement of demolished units with long‑term affordable units), and sets rules for accessibility, fair housing marketing, cost limits, and environmental review. Gives the Secretary broad authority to set rules, monitor grantee performance, reclaim and reallocate funds if grantees fail to act, and publish annual reports. It authorizes $1 billion in grants for FY2026 and unspecified amounts as needed in later years, plus rental assistance tied to demolished or disposed units; requires the Secretary to issue implementing regulations within 180 days after enactment.
Demolition, disposition, relocation, replacement, and re-occupancy of housing units connected to a grant must be carried out in a way that affirmatively furthers fair housing.
Grantees must adopt affirmative marketing procedures and require project owners and managers to carry out affirmative marketing targeted to people least likely to apply, to ensure awareness of housing opportunities regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or familial status.
All new construction and alterations of existing buildings carried out with a grant must comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, HUD Accessibility Standards (part 40 of title 24, CFR) or successor regulation, the Fair Housing Act, and any other requirements the Secretary determines.
Grant funds may not be used to assist a housing property unless the property owner agrees to a period of affordability that is at least as long as the period the property is already subject to and remains subject, or 3Hi 0 years, whichever is longer.
The Secretary shall establish cost limits on eligible activities under this Act that are sufficient to provide for effective transformation programs.
Who is affected and how:
Residents of public or assisted housing in targeted neighborhoods: The law aims to replace and improve severely distressed units and surrounding services, but residents may face temporary relocation. Protections include early notice, counseling, moving expense reimbursement, minimum voucher search periods, monitoring, and a right to return for eligible residents. Long‑term affordability and tenant protections are emphasized to reduce permanent displacement risk.
Public housing agencies (PHAs), local governments, and nonprofit or for‑profit project owners: These entities are eligible applicants or required partners. They must prepare detailed transformation plans, meet reporting and compliance rules (fair housing, accessibility, environmental review), and may face funding withdrawal or replacement as implementers if they fail to meet performance benchmarks.
Nonprofit developers, community development corporations, and local service providers: Can act as applicants or partners and will receive grant funds for housing, services, and community investments; they will need capacity to meet federal requirements and reporting.
Voucher holders and tenants using rental assistance: The Act authorizes rental assistance tied to demolished or disposed units and protects voucher holders with minimum search periods and return rights; funding for tenant‑based assistance is authorized but capped relative to demolished units.
Local communities and service systems (schools, transit, workforce development): Transformation plans must coordinate services and community investments, so local agencies may receive funding or be asked to partner; they may also bear short‑term administrative burdens for coordination and reporting.
HUD and federal oversight bodies: HUD gains significant program administration, rulemaking, monitoring, and reporting responsibilities, including issuing regulations within 180 days and annual reporting to Congress. HUD also may reassign funds, set cost limits, and enforce compliance.
Tradeoffs and risks:
Net effect:
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by Lisa Blunt Rochester
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Updated 2 days ago
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)