Congresswoman Garcia Secures Key Provisions in Major Housing Package

WASHINGTON, D.C. - This week, Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) secured several key housing and homelessness provisions in the broader 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), a major housing package aimed at lowering costs, expanding affordable housing, and supporting working families struggling with the nation's housing crisis.

The package includes three provisions authored by Congresswoman Garcia focused on improving affordable housing programs and helping families achieve long-term economic stability.

"Too many families in my district and across the country are being priced out by rising housing costs, high rents, and economic uncertainty," said Congresswoman Garcia. "For most families, owning a home is one of the strongest paths to building wealth and long-term financial stability. People need practical solutions that lower costs, expand affordable housing, and help more families achieve the dream of homeownership. I applaud Democrats and Republicans for coming together on common-sense solutions like these. We need more bipartisan work like this to tackle the challenges families are facing and do the job the American people sent us here to do."

Among the provisions included in the package is Garcia's Affordable Housing Supply Chain Clarity Act (H.R. 7344), which directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to clarify the implementation of Buy America requirements in the HOME program to help reduce unnecessary delays and support the construction of affordable housing.

The package also includes Garcia's Incentivizing Local Solutions to Homelessness Act (H.R. 8878), co-led with Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (D-OR-05), which gives states and local governments greater flexibility in how they use Emergency Solutions Grant funding to respond to homelessness in their communities.

"Oregon's homeless shelters are already stretched too thin," said Congresswoman Bynum. "I am proud to introduce this bill to make sure they have the support they need to offer emergency assistance and help more Oregonians get back on their feet."

Additionally, the legislation includes Garcia's Improving Self-Sufficiency of Families in HUD-Subsidized Housing Act (H.R. 8877), which directs HUD to study the impacts of work requirements in public housing, including the effects on homelessness, poverty, employment, and family economic stability.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act includes a wide range of bipartisan housing reforms focused on increasing housing supply, supporting affordable homeownership, strengthening tenant protections, and expanding access to financing in underserved communities.

According to housing experts, the United States faces a shortage of millions of homes while rising rents and home prices continue to put affordable housing further out of reach for working families. In Harris County and across Texas, families are increasingly struggling with rising housing costs and limited housing availability.

Congresswoman Garcia has consistently advocated for policies that lower housing costs and help working families stay in the communities they call home. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration.