Illinois state lawmakers took up housing affordability last year. The results underwhelmed. Now, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is pushing to put housing at the center of Illinois’ broader affordability agenda. “The problem is clear – rent is too high and home ownership is too far out of reach,” Pritzker said in his State of the State […]
Gov. Pritzker calls for zoning reform to buoy Illinois housing access Read More »
Inflation didn’t just make things “more expensive.” It broke household planning—because the largest line item in most budgets, housing, is still shopped with the wrong unit of measure. When families budget by monthly outflow but search by list price, the market becomes inefficient, stress rises, and mobility collapses. The fix is straightforward: make monthly payment
America’s quilt work of states whose governors and lawmakers are bucking for housing policy change to break through supply constraints at the root of the nation’s affordability crisis now counts Massachusetts among them. With a focus on prohibitively constrictive building codes and zoning ordinances, Gov. Maura Healey has adopted an approach officials in other states
Massachusetts studies adding supply with single-stair apartments Read More »
The Housing for the 21st Century Act — a sweeping housing reform package moving through Congress — is the boldest step yet in a broad federal push to increase housing supply and improve affordability. The legislation directs the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to publish “best practices” for states and local governments
What the Housing for the 21st Century Act means for real estate agents, lenders Read More »
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a long-awaited state law designating manufactured housing as real estate in December. In the 11 months ahead, the question is whether the newly enacted measure can deliver on its promised mortgage-style financing or stalls amid legislative rulemaking. Regulators, lenders, and manufactured housing advocates will spend this year working out
Will New York’s manufactured housing law reshape home financing? Read More »
As the House prepares to vote next week on the Housing for the 21st Century Act, mortgage industry groups are lining up in support of a bill that bundles a wide range of changes to housing finance, federal oversight and development policy. Processing Content The Mortgage Bankers Association on Friday urged lawmakers to pass the
MBA, lenders rally behind Housing for 21st Century Act Read More »
The Federal Housing Finance Agency is not making changes to its proposed repeal of the Biden Administration’s Fair Lending, Fair Housing and Equitable Housing Finance Plans regulation it first published for comment in July. Processing Content The rule is also identified as part 1293 and the current version was put into place in April 2024.
FHFA goes ahead with repeal of Biden fair lending rule Read More »
A fight over ground-floor retail mandates could become one of the most consequential zoning debates of 2026, with Washington state lawmakers moving to curb mandatory storefronts in new residential buildings. A bill in the Washington state Senate would flip the script on commercial zoning, requiring cities with more than 30,000 residents to allow housing by
Washington seeks to reset ground-floor retail rules for residential buildings Read More »
Utah lawmakers opened their 2026 legislative agenda with a proposal to revive a once-bedrock fixture of the American Dream of homeownership: starter homes. By streamlining permit approvals and rezoning for smaller property lots, Beehive State legislators will try to pry open a path to first-time homeownership. The bill would reduce minimum lot sizes to encourage
Utah lawmakers target starter homes with lot size reform Read More »
Another state vs. local jurisdiction showdown is brewing up in Indiana. Lawmakers there are poised to strip cities of much of their power over where and how new housing is built, setting up a clash over who holds the reins of local growth and – critically – housing development. Indiana’s proposed bill would transform how
Indiana bill targets housing affordability with state zoning changes Read More »