Kathrine Frich
President Donald Trump refuses to sign the paperwork.
Housing costs are crushing everyday families.
Finding an affordable place to live remains a heavy burden across the country.
Yet a massive legislative plan meant to fix the problem just hit an unusual roadblock.
A midnight deadline
Congress just passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act. Lawmakers praised the massive package as the most significant housing legislation in decades.
But President Donald Trump refuses to sign the paperwork. He canceled a White House signing ceremony and called the sweeping bill a “big yawn,” according to NPR.
Trump is holding out for a totally different piece of legislation. He wants lawmakers to pass the SAVE America Act, which requires voters to show proof of citizenship and photo ID.
That voting bill stalled in the Senate. Trump expressed his frustration in a Truth Social post on Friday morning. “I will not sign the Housing Bill, which has been fully approved by Congress and sent to the White House, in PROTEST over the fact that the United States Senate is not capable of passing THE SAVE AMERICA ACT,” he wrote.
The housing squeeze
Despite his protest, the housing bill automatically becomes law tonight at midnight. House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered the legislation 10 days ago, which started the official clock.
This new law aims to make homeownership much more affordable. It encourages fresh construction by packing in over 40 provisions that impact everything from mobile homes to corporate landlords.
Data from Realtor.com shows that a household earning $75,000 a year can only afford a tiny fraction of available homes.
The median cost of an existing home reached $440,600 in June. Lawmakers hope this historic bill proves they are finally taking the crisis seriously.
Changing the rules
One major provision actually started as a Trump idea. The law bans large corporate landlords from buying single family homes if they already own 350 properties.
This rule gives regular families a fighting chance against corporate cash offers. However, Freddie Mac researchers note that private equity firms play a very small role in the housing shortage.
The legislation also cuts local red tape. Developers can skip certain environmental reviews, and communities will receive grants to create preapproved housing designs.
A slow rebuild
Prices will not drop overnight. Experts warn that building new communities takes time, but they agree this rare federal action remains necessary.
“We have to take the time to celebrate that we have bipartisan champions,” Sarah Brundage of the National Association of Affordable Housing Lenders told NPR.
Sources: NPR, Realtor.com, Freddie Mac, Truth Social
