Last week, the Senate held procedural votes to advance the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which contains provisions to modernize federal housing programs, encourage streamlining environmental reviews, as well as reducing barriers to new housing development construction. This clears the way for passage by the full Senate and House of Representatives this week.

Importantly, the Senate version would not include a provision opposed by NAIOP and its real estate allies that would have instituted a forced-sale of build-to-rent (BTR) housing after seven years. BTR developments provide added housing supply and choice for families wishing to live in single-family housing rather than in multifamily apartment developments. The Senate dropped the provision after strong opposition from the real estate industry and House negotiators.

In his May 6, 2026, letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, NAIOP President and CEO Marc Selvitelli warned that the original Senate language “would displace residents who intentionally choose to rent and rely on these communities as an affordable alternative to conventional multifamily housing.” The original provision was intended to address ownership of existing single-family homes by large institutional investors in traditional neighborhoods, but Selvitelli warned that the seven-year forced disposition of BTR properties was an unintended effect that would “impose a severe barrier to many of our [NAIOP] members who are providing high-quality rental housing to American families.”

President Donald Trump is expected to sign the legislation into law when passed by the House and Senate.