The “ROAD to Housing Act,” a landmark bipartisan legislative package designed to tackle the nation’s housing affordability crisis, has been excluded from the final version of the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), stalling the most significant federal housing reform effort in over a decade.
Despite a unanimous 24-0 passage through the Senate Banking Committee in July and strong advocacy from unlikely allies — committee chair Tim Scott, R-S.C., and ranking member Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. — the provision was stripped from the “must-pass” defense bill during negotiations in the House of Representatives.
Proponents of the bill, including major industry groups and housing advocates, are now pivoting their focus to the House Financial Services Committee, which is set to review the legislation and potential alternatives later this month.
The exclusion from the amended NDAA, released by the House on Sunday, marks a significant blow to housing advocates who viewed inclusion in the defense spending bill as the most viable option for passing complex housing policy in a divided Congress.
Scott issued a statement expressing the urgency of the moment, noting that families are being “crushed” by soaring housing costs and that the ROAD to Housing Act represents a “common-sense package that deserves to cross the finish line.”
Warren also commented on the omission from the NDAA, saying in a statement that “the fight to get the ROAD to Housing Act signed into law isn’t over — but if House Republicans continue to block legislation to cut housing costs in 2026, then Democrats will pass it ourselves when we take back Congress.”
House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill, R-Ark., confirmed the removal of the Senate-passed provisions but emphasized that the dialogue on housing reform is not over. In a statement following the release of the NDAA text, Hill noted that he shares the goal of expanding access to housing and looks forward to working with Senate colleagues to send a bill to the president’s desk next year.
The Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act was designed to address the root causes of housing inflation: lack of supply and regulatory burdens. The legislation aimed to reduce red tape and incentivize private capital to build more housing units.
Key provisions of the act included the Build More Housing Near Transit Act, which ties community development block grant funding to a community’s ability to produce housing results.
Additionally, the bill proposed the Housing Supply Frameworks Act, directing the Department of Housing and Urban Development to publish guidelines and best practices to help standardize state and local land use policies.
The legislation enjoyed broad support from a coalition of stakeholders, including the National Association of Home Builders and the Mortgage Bankers Association, which argued that supply-side interventions are critical. The bill’s exclusions leave these groups looking to 2026 for relief.
Isaac Boltansky, head of public policy at mortgage lender Pennymac, said in a statement provided to Scotsman Guide that he’s hopeful the two chambers of Congress will find common ground on a comprehensive housing bill.
“We are cautiously optimistic that a major housing package will land on the president’s desk early next year,” Boltansky said. “We anticipate the House Financial Services Committee will do thoughtful work to strengthen and expand the Senate-passed ROAD to Housing package, ensuring a strong bipartisan victory that maximizes the breadth and depth of the impact.”
While the NDAA route is closed, the House Financial Services Committee is expected to hold hearings to review the Senate-approved bill and discuss House-specific measures. With the “must-pass” leverage of the defense bill gone, lawmakers will now have to navigate the more precarious path of stand-alone legislation or future spending packages to enact housing reforms.
