In Case You Missed It: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Key Actions on Housing Supply and Tenant Protections

WASHINGTON - On Thursday, June 27, 2023, the Biden-Harris Administration and HUD announced new commitments to advance affordable housing supply and tenant protections, focused on the Administration’s goal of lowering housing costs for all.

HUD is taking two actions to increase the supply of affordable housing: making available $85 million in competitive grants for housing production and preservation, and providing public housing authorities and multifamily housing owners in the Rental Assistance Demonstration with new tools to repair and build affordable housing.

HUD is taking three actions to further protections in housing. First, HUD is sending messages to public housing agencies and property owners to remind them of best practices. Second, HUD is making $10 million available to support renters through tenant education and outreach. Third, HUD will soon announce a proposed rule to provide more time for eviction notification.

See below for highlights from news clips and the response from national leaders and local stakeholders alike:

News Clips

Morning Joe: White House aims to lower housing costs and boost supply

Associated Press: White House rolls out measures aimed at lowering cost of housing, increasing supply (also featured in The Hill, NBC DFW)
Michael Casey

The White House is taking steps aimed at increasing the supply of affordable housing while also bolstering protections for renters.

The housing measures announced Thursday include providing communities with $85 million in funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to reduce barriers to affordable housing, such as zoning restrictions that in some places have become a hurdle to increasing the supply and density of affordable housing. HUD would provide grants upwards of $10 million.

“HUD recognizes that communities have unique housing challenges and that’s why the resources announced today are not one-size-fits-all,” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge said in a statement.

Politico Pro: White House rolls out measures to lower housing costs
Katy O’Donnell

“With high rates of commercial vacancies across the country, we see a tremendous opportunity for conversions to residential housing,” White House Chief Domestic Policy Adviser Neera Tanden said on a call with reporters.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development also unveiled an $85 million competitive grant program to goad state and local governments into removing barriers to affordable housing, including restrictive zoning.

CNN: Biden administration taking new actions to boost housing affordability and availability (also featured in KRDO)
Betsy Klein

The Biden administration on Thursday announced further steps to lower housing costs and boost supply, part of the economic agenda that President Joe Biden will highlight as he seeks a second term.

The administration is taking a “comprehensive federal approach,” White House domestic policy adviser Neera Tanden told reporters, toward improving affordability for both homeowners and renters. The newly announced plan will leverage three separate areas toward achieving this goal: Easing land use and zoning rules, expanding financing and promoting the conversion of commercial to residential space.

Reuters: Biden administration moves to boost housing supply, improve renter protections
Andrea Shalal

WASHINGTON, July 27 (Reuters) - The Biden administration on Thursday continued its push to drive down housing prices, announcing steps to reduce zoning and land-use restrictions that often constrain housing construction, especially in low-income areas, and better protect renters.

The moves, which will also expand financing for affordable, energy efficient and resilient housing and promote commercial-to-residential conversion opportunities, are part of a big White House push to boost the supply of affordable housing.

Spectrum News: Biden admin. aims to reduce barriers, increase financing for affordable housing
Ryan Chatelain

“By increasing the supply of housing, we will then be able to find opportunities where young people who are looking for a new rental unit are not competing with 10, 12, 20 other individuals or folks who want to buy a home, first-time homeowners, they're not in a bidding war,” said Deputy HUD Secretary Adrianne Todman. “This is why supply matters, because we know than we need more units that people need.”

Housing Wire: White House, HUD and CFPB detail new actions and priorities to protect renters
Chris Clow

Multiple agencies across the federal government including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) have all renewed their efforts to protect tenants renting in multifamily housing units as costs continue to climb, according to an announcement from the White House.

“[HUD], the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), [CFPB], the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and [FHFA] are each releasing guidance or best practices to landlords, operators, and stakeholders who rely on tenant screening reports when evaluating applications from renters,” the White House said in its announcement. “This guidance communicates the administration’s expectations on informing renters of what information in their screening report is responsible for their application being denied.”

UPI: White House announces efforts to lower housing costs, protect renters
Doug Cunningham

July 27 (UPI) -- The Biden administration Thursday announced new efforts to help lower housing costs and boost supply of homes to address multiple affordable housing challenges.

The M Report: HUD Takes New Actions to Strengthen Renter Rights and Protections

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced new actions to increase fairness in the rental market and further renter protections in housing.

Mirage News: Biden's Actions to Slash Housing Costs, Increase Supply

Today's actions further build on the Biden-Harris Administration's Housing Supply Action Plan and updates announced last fall, and are a down payment on the historic housing investments proposed in the President's Budget that would boost supply, lower costs and cut dangerous climate pollution, promote homeownership, protect renters, and promote fair housing. They also complement the actions by the Biden-Harris Administration in just the last week, including a crackdown on junk fees in the rental housing market, and new steps announced today that build on its Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights.

Social Media Mentions

Outside of news outlets, a variety of national leaders, organizations, and stakeholders praised, welcomed, and amplified this announcement:

• CNN Politics
• Morning Joe
• Diane Yentel, President and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition
• Monica Hogan, Reporter for Inside Mortgage Finance