Statement from Rep. María Elvira Salazar on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Officially Becoming Law

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL) issued the following statement after the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, the first major federal housing reform package in more than two decades, became law:

"At the heart of America's housing crisis is a simple problem: we are not building enough homes. For years, rising costs, delays, and unnecessary barriers have made it harder to build the homes our communities need, leaving families across South Florida and the nation to pay the price," said Rep. Salazar. "The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act takes meaningful steps to address that challenge by making it easier to build, finance, and expand housing opportunities. "I'm especially proud to have served as the Republican co-lead of the bipartisan RESIDE Act, which was included in the final package and will help communities transform vacant and abandoned properties into housing, revitalize neighborhoods, and create new opportunities for families."

The United States faces a housing shortage estimated in the millions of units, a gap that has contributed to rising home prices and rents nationwide. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act addresses the nation's housing shortage by:

• Removing unnecessary regulatory barriers that delay housing development, including streamlining housing processes and allowing the use of pre-approved home designs so builders can construct homes more quickly.
• Modernizing HUD programs to expand housing supply, support manufactured housing, and give states and local communities greater flexibility to address local housing needs.
• Enhancing community banking operations by reducing outdated regulatory burdens and expanding the ability of community and rural banks to support local lending and housing development.

Rep. Salazar, a member of the House Financial Services Committee, helped advance the bipartisan legislation through Congress.

Included in the final package is Rep. Salazar's RESIDE Act, legislation she introduced to help communities convert vacant and underutilized properties into housing.

Across the country, vacant and underutilized properties sit empty while families struggle to find affordable places to live. By helping communities convert those properties into housing, the RESIDE Act expands housing supply, revitalizes neighborhoods, and creates new opportunities for families. Its inclusion in the final package will help communities create new housing opportunities while bringing new life to vacant and underutilized properties.

South Florida remains one of the nation's most challenging housing markets, where rising home prices and rents continue to place pressure on working families, seniors, young professionals, and first time homebuyers. Addressing those challenges has been a key priority for Rep. Salazar both in Congress and at home in South Florida.

She has supported efforts to increase housing supply, strengthen community lending, and reduce barriers to development. She also secured $3.5 million in federal funding for the Flagler Affordable Senior Housing Project in the City of Miami, helping expand affordable housing opportunities for seniors and ensuring that longtime residents can continue to live in the communities they call home.

Rep. Salazar has also highlighted the importance of addressing workforce shortages in the construction industry, a challenge that continues to increase costs and slow the construction of much needed housing.