Legislation

Virginia YIGBY bill puts Spanberger housing agenda on the line

Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger has until Monday to sign or veto legislation that would make her state one of the few that allow faith-based organizations to build affordable housing on their properties by overriding local zoning limits. Spanberger faces pressure from local governments and a small but vocal group of civic organizations to veto the […]

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Manufactured housing is the homeownership solve we keep ignoring

“Most men appear never to have considered what a house is, and are actually though needlessly poor all their lives because they think that they must have such a one as their neighbors have.” — Henry David Thoreau, Walden. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) said on 3.24.2026 that from January 2019 to January 2026:

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How the ROAD to Housing Act could improve home affordability

There seem to be very few things that Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill can agree on these days, but one of them is that housing has become increasingly unaffordable for the average American. And with good reason: housing affordability is the worst it’s been in over 40 years – since the 1980s when mortgage

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Washington just banned noncompete agreements. Will other states follow suit?

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill into effect earlier this week that bans noncompete agreements across the state. The move marks a significant shift in employment law that will take effect on June 30, 2027. The measure prohibits contracts that restrict workers from joining or starting competing businesses after leaving a job. Noncompete agreements

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California MBA urges guardrails for bill targeting wildfire-related forbearance

The California Mortgage Bankers Association (CMBA) testified on March 20 before the California Assembly Banking & Finance Committee during an oversight hearing on California Assembly Bill 238, which focuses on the effectiveness of mortgage forbearance and the broader challenges facing homeowners affected by the state’s January 2025 wildfires. AB 238 provides up to one year

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The housing blind spot: Why the Senate’s housing bill is a start, not a solution

The passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act felt like a rare event in Washington: genuine, overwhelming bipartisanship. In a political climate defined by caustic friction, an 89-10 vote in the Senate isn’t a legislative victory; it is a confession. It is an admission by both parties that housing affordability has reached a

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Washington law limits private listing networks for homes

Beginning in early June, real estate professionals in Washington state must publicly market their residential real estate listings to all consumers, unless the seller can show doing so would negatively impact their health or safety. This requirement comes after Washington Governor Bob Furgeson signed a bill into law on Monday banning exclusive marketing to select

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Realtor.com data challenges effectiveness of Senate ban on big home investors

In the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, overwhelmingly approved by the Senate on Thursday, is a provision titled, “Homes Are for People, Not Corporations.” This provision seeks to impose new restrictions on institutional investors in the single-family housing market. Under the provision, entities owning 350 or more single-family homes would face limits on purchasing

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Democrats propose bill targeting corporate housing tax breaks

Senate Democrats, led by Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Jeff Merkley of Oregon, last week unveiled legislation aimed at curbing corporate ownership of single-family homes and redirecting federal tax benefits toward affordable housing development. The bill, known as the American Homeownership Act, would eliminate major tax breaks and other federal housing benefits for private equity

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New Jersey reverse mortgage counseling bill would have ‘chilling effect’ on senior home equity use, NRMLA says

The National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) this week sent a letter to a New Jersey lawmaker, stating its opposition to a legislative proposal tied to reverse mortgage counseling requirements in the Garden State. The letter is addressed to state Sen. Shirley Turner (D), the sponsor of New Jersey Senate Bill 264, which creates “pre-loan

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