5 Insights on the ROAD to Housing

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act marks the biggest bipartisan housing victory this century. But passage is only the first step. Now, the challenge is ensuring communities have the tools, partnerships, and urgency needed to translate policy into tangible results: more homes, greater affordability, and expanded opportunity.

In the weeks following the law's enactment, Enterprise Community Partners CEO Shaun Donovan and Senior Vice President of Policy Pat Cave traveled to Missouri and Nebraska to discuss what comes next with local housing leaders, developers, philanthropies, and housing finance officials. Along the way, they met with Reps. Emanuel Cleaver and Mike Flood, the ranking member and chair, respectively, of the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance, whose bipartisan leadership helped make ROAD a reality.

Throughout the trip, Donovan underscored the opportunities created by the new law.

"There is a lot in this legislation, and I think about its potential in three big ways: unlocking more resources, removing barriers to building and preserving housing, and giving communities better tools to meet their local housing needs," Donovan told audiences.

The passage of landmark housing legislation is not the finish line, he said. The real work begins now, as communities, policymakers, developers, lenders, and philanthropic partners work to translate the promise of the ROAD Act into more homes, greater affordability, and expanded opportunity.

Here are five insights Donovan shared on what must happen next.

1. Housing Is America's Kitchen-Table Issue
Housing affordability is no longer a challenge affecting certain markets or demographics. It is one of the most pressing issues facing families and communities nationwide.

"Housing has become the kitchen-table issue because it is touching almost every table," Donovan said. "Young families priced out of their first homes. Renters watching housing and utility costs climb. Longtime homeowners facing rising taxes and insurance. The starter home disappearing. And unsheltered homelessness rising."

Across the communities he visited, Donovan heard concerns about housing supply shortages, workforce housing needs, rising development costs, and their impact on local economies.

Still, national attention on housing creates an unprecedented opportunity.

"Housing has become a political priority in a way we haven't seen in decades," he said. "We've moved from debating whether America has a housing crisis to building bipartisan momentum around what we can actually do about it."

2. Federal Policy Creates Opportunity, But Communities Create Results
A central theme throughout the trip was that the passage of the ROAD to Housing Act represents a beginning, not an ending.

"Passing the bill isn't the finish line," Donovan said. "In many ways, it's the starting line."

The new law creates opportunities for communities by modernizing programs, reducing barriers, and providing greater flexibility. But realizing those benefits will depend on how effectively communities prepare to use them.

"The communities that will benefit most from ROAD won't be the ones that wait for Washington to tell them what to do next," he said. "They'll be the ones that are ready to move when the road opens."

3. Partnerships Are the Most Important Housing Tools
Donovan emphasized that no single entity can solve the housing crisis: "If we're serious about solving a housing challenge of this scale, no one sector can do it alone," he said.

That message was especially relevant in Omaha, where Front Porch Investments has built a reputation for bringing together public, private, and philanthropic partners to advance affordable housing solutions.

"Housing gets built when government creates the conditions, private capital comes off the sidelines, nonprofits and CDFIs make the economics work, and philanthropy helps close the gaps," Donovan said. "That's what cross-sector leadership looks like."

4. Readiness Matters More Than Ever
While the new law creates opportunities, Donovan stressed that readiness will ultimately determine which communities benefit most.

"One important thing to understand about the ROAD to Housing Act is that a lot of what it offers isn't new money. It's regulatory relief," he said. "It creates opportunities to move faster, remove barriers, and make existing housing tools work better."

Donovan encouraged leaders to prioritize understanding their housing needs, identifying local barriers, and strengthening partnerships.

"I would focus on three things: know what the data is telling you, act now where you can, and build the partnerships you'll need before you need them," he said.

Nebraska's growing focus on housing supply, land-use policy, and collaborative problem-solving offers reason for optimism, Donovan said, noting the state's participation in Enterprise's State Leaders Land Use Forum.

5. Housing Is Ultimately About Opportunity
Although much of the trip focused on policy and implementation, Donovan repeatedly returned to a larger point: housing is about far more than buildings.

That vision was visible at Highlander in North Omaha, a mixed-income community that integrates housing with educational resources, health services, workforce development, and neighborhood amenities. The development powerfully illustrates how housing can serve as a platform for opportunity rather than simply a place to live.

"Stable, affordable housing gives families the foundation to build assets, create wealth, and access greater economic opportunity," he said.

Turning Momentum into Action
Passage of the ROAD to Housing Act has created new momentum, and local leaders across the country must position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.

For Donovan, that sense of urgency and initiative is what it means to be on the ROAD to Housing.

"The ROAD to Housing is a down payment on a future where everyone has a quality, affordable, stable place to live and access to the opportunities that come with it," he said. "What we build from it will determine what housing opportunity looks like for the next generation."

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