Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act

House Bill

H.R. 7597

119th Congress

Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act

In Committee

Introduced:Feb 17, 2026

Primary Sponsor

Michael Lawler

R - NY

Cosponsors

0

Quick Stats

Summary

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify and report on government regulations that make it harder and more expensive to build affordable housing. By shining a light on red tape like zoning restrictions, permit delays, and building codes that drive up costs, the bill aims to be a first step toward addressing the housing affordability crisis affecting millions of Americans.

Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Introduced2/17/2026

StatusReferred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

ChamberHouse

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Vote Prediction

Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify and report on government regulations that make it harder and more expensive to build affordable housing. By shining a light on red tape like zoning restrictions, permit delays,

Community Breakdown

Pass

0%

Fail

0%

0 predictions

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify and report on government regulations that make it harder and more expensive to build affordable housing. By shining a light on red tape like zoning restrictions, permit delays, and building codes that drive up costs, the bill aims to be a first step toward addressing the housing affordability crisis affecting millions of Americans.

Bill Number: 7597
Introduced: 2/17/2026
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Data from Congress.gov

AI-generated summary

Fact Sheet

Title: Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act
Bill Number: 7597
Sponsor: No sponsor
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
Introduced: 2/17/2026
Summary: This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify and report on government regulations that make it harder and more expensive to build affordable housing. By shining a light on red tape like zoning restrictions, permit delays, and building codes that drive up costs,

Data from Congress.gov

AI Summary

Plain-English explanation of this bill

This bill would require the Department of Housing and Urban Development to identify and report on government regulations that make it harder and more expensive to build affordable housing. By shining a light on red tape like zoning restrictions, permit delays, and building codes that drive up costs, the bill aims to be a first step toward addressing the housing affordability crisis affecting millions of Americans.

Last updated: 2/20/2026

Key Points

Main provisions of the bill

Adds a new requirement to HUD's annual report: identifying specific regulations that create barriers to affordable housing construction
Targets regulatory obstacles like restrictive zoning laws, lengthy approval processes, and costly building requirements that increase housing prices
Does not directly remove any barriers or build housing—instead creates transparency and accountability around regulatory obstacles
Addresses the nationwide housing affordability crisis where many Americans struggle to find homes they can afford

How This Impacts Americans

Potential effects on citizens and communities

This bill would primarily affect renters, first-time homebuyers, and low-income families struggling with housing costs by creating a federal spotlight on regulations that make housing more expensive. Developers and local governments would face greater scrutiny of their housing policies. While the bill itself doesn't remove barriers or build homes, the required reporting could pressure policymakers to reform regulations and ultimately lead to more affordable housing being built in communities across the country.

Policy Areas

No policy areas assigned yet.

Scope & Jurisdiction

Jurisdiction Level

federal

Congressional Session

119th Congress

Citation Reference

7597, 119th Congress (2026). "Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/119-hr-7597

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