Washington, D.C., February 9, 2026 – David M. Dworkin, President and CEO of the National Housing Conference (NHC), released the following statement on passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act, a comprehensive, bipartisan housing and community development package, by the U.S. House of Representatives.
“The National Housing Conference applauds the passage of the bipartisan Housing for the 21st Century Act and thanks Chairman French Hill (R-Ark.), Ranking Member Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Mike Flood (R-Neb.), and Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) for their leadership in advancing solutions to America’s housing affordability crisis.
The housing shortage did not happen overnight. We got into this crisis one unit at a time, and we will get out of it the same way — one unit at a time, through a range of coordinated strategies that expand supply, reduce costs, and improve access to affordable homes. There is no magic wand to fix this crisis, but the Housing for the 21st Century Act is an important step forward.
By modernizing outdated housing programs, reducing unnecessary barriers to development, and increasing flexibility for local communities, the Housing for the 21st Century Act helps create the conditions needed to build and preserve more affordable homes across America. The bill also appropriately emphasizes transparency, consumer protections, and accountability.
The housing affordability crisis affects every community, regardless of politics or geography. NHC’s report, Priced Out: When a good job isn’t enough, shows that middle-class Americans are facing a housing affordability crisis once assumed to impact only low-income households. Today, the median U.S. household income is sufficient to buy a home in only 128 MSAs, down from 287 in 2019, placing the American Dream of homeownership increasingly out of reach. Without significant policy action to expand supply and stabilize costs, affordability pressures will continue to deepen, displacing workers and constraining economic opportunity.
Addressing the shortage of affordable housing will require sustained bipartisan action. NHC looks forward to working with Congress and the administration to advance bipartisan housing legislation and help ensure it moves forward with the broadest possible support.”
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About the National Housing Conference (NHC): Founded in 1931, the National Housing Conference is the oldest and broadest housing coalition in America. NHC is a diverse continuum of affordable housing stakeholders who convene and collaborate through dialogue, advocacy, research, and education, to develop equitable solutions that serve our common interest—an America where everyone is able to live in a quality, affordable home in a thriving community. Politically diverse and nonpartisan, NHC is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. To learn more about NHC, visit www.nhc.org. We recommend organizations who support the legislation to reach out to members of the House before the vote on Monday. Click here to find your Representative’s information.