Housing for the 21st Century Act

This bill would revise federal housing programs by increasing loan limits for multifamily mortgage insurance and raising income eligibility thresholds for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program. It proposes to exempt certain residential construction projects from environmental reviews, exclude veterans' disability benefits from income calculations for the VASH program, and remove the permanent chassis requirement for manufactured homes. Additionally, the legislation would establish a grant program for affordable housing strategies, create a pilot program for temperature sensors in federally assisted housing, and increase oversight requirements for public housing agencies.

This bill affects low-income households and veterans receiving disability benefits by adjusting income eligibility for housing assistance and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program. It also impacts government entities and housing providers, including the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), public housing agencies, and regional or local organizations involved in affordable housing development and counseling. Additionally, the legislation affects the manufactured housing industry and multifamily home developers through changes to construction standards and Federal Housing Administration loan limits.

• Expansion of multifamily mortgage insurance limits. The bill increases the maximum loan limits for Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance programs for multifamily homes and mandates the use of a specific inflation index for these loans.
• Adjustments to affordable housing grant programs. The legislation raises the maximum eligible income for the HOME Investment Partnerships Program and creates a new grant program to help regional, state, and local entities develop affordable housing strategies.
• Environmental review exemptions for residential projects. Certain activities related to the construction, improvement, or rehabilitation of residential buildings are exempted from the federal environmental review process.
• Changes to housing eligibility and standards. The bill excludes veterans' disability benefits from income calculations for the VASH program and removes the requirement that manufactured homes be built on a permanent chassis.
• Housing safety and counseling oversight. The bill establishes a pilot program for testing temperature sensors in federally assisted housing and authorizes performance reviews for organizations providing housing counseling services.
• Increased transparency for Public Housing Agencies. Public Housing Agencies are required to post contract information on their websites to expand oversight of their operations.

The bill modifies several existing federal housing authorities, including Federal Housing Administration mortgage insurance programs, the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and the Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) program. It also revises federal environmental review exemptions for certain residential projects and updates construction standards for manufactured housing by removing the permanent chassis requirement.

The bill aims to modernize federal housing programs by expanding financing for affordable housing, increasing income eligibility for certain assistance programs, and streamlining regulatory requirements. It also seeks to improve housing oversight and support community development through new grant programs and updated standards for residential construction and veteran eligibility.