U.S. housing and borrowing

Housing Survivors of Major Disasters Act This bill expands eligibility for disaster housing assistance under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Individuals and Households Program (IHP) with respect to property damage, availability of housing resources, and constructive (i.e., implied) ownership. Specifically, the bill lowers the level of damage required to be eligible for IHP housing assistance, so the residence must be damaged by a major disaster instead of rendered uninhabitable. Also, under current law, FEMA is authorized to provide IHP assistance for permanent housing construction where (1) no alternative housing resources are available; and (2) other types of temporary housing assistance are unavailable, infeasible, or not cost-effective. The bill authorizes IHP permanent housing construction where FEMA determines such assistance is a cost-effective alternative to other housing solutions, such as providing for temporary housing costs. Additionally, the bill requires FEMA to consider an individual's or household’s claim of constructive ownership, where evidence supports such ownership is more likely than not, when determining eligibility for IHP financial assistance for home repair or replacement for a residence without documented ownership rights. FEMA must consider all evidence provided (e.g., deeds, tax receipts, insurance documents) when determining whether constructive ownership more likely than not exists. If FEMA determines the evidence is insufficient, FEMA may require a signed declarative statement describing the constructive ownership.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management.

Veterans, Women, Families with Children, Race, and Persons with Disabilities Housing Fairness Act of 2025 or the Housing Fairness Act of 2025 This bill expands efforts to detect and address housing discrimination. Specifically, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must conduct a nationwide testing program to (1) detect and document differences in the treatment of prospective renters, homebuyers, or mortgage borrowers; (2) measure patterns of adverse treatment because of the race, color, religion, sex, familial status, disability status, or national origin of a renter, homebuyer, or borrower; and (3) measure the prevalence of such discriminatory practices across housing and mortgage lending markets. The bill also reauthorizes through FY2028 the Fair Housing Initiatives Program, which supports organizations that provide direct assistance to individuals who have been victims of housing discrimination. Additionally, HUD must implement a grant program to assist public and private nonprofit organizations in (1) conducting comprehensive studies on the causes or effects of housing discrimination and segregation, and (2) implementing pilot projects that test solutions to help prevent or alleviate housing discrimination and segregation.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

End of GSE Conservatorship Preparation Act of 2025 This bill requires the Department of the Treasury to report to Congress on the status of proposals to establish a timeline and process (1) to end the conservatorship of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, and (2) for Treasury to resolve its investment in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. (As a result of the financial crisis, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac entered into a conservatorship in 2008 with the Federal Housing Finance Agency. As part of this agreement, Treasury provided funds to support the solvency of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.)

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Protecting America's Property Rights Act This bill directs the government-sponsored enterprises—Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—to establish standards for the use of products such as title insurance. (The enterprises facilitate liquidity in the mortgage market by purchasing mortgages and issuing mortgage-backed securities.) Specifically, the enterprises must establish regulations or guidelines for risk management related to loss or damage from liens upon, encumbrances on, or defects in the title to property, or the invalidity or unenforceability of any liens or encumbrances on property by using third party products subject to state regulation. Further, the enterprises must hold an additional 1% of the unpaid principal of any mortgage that does not meet the above regulations or guidelines as part of each enterprise’s minimum capital levels.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency titled Quality Control Standards for Automated Valuation Models and published on August 7, 2024. The rule requires the implementation of quality control standards for automated valuation models used by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers when determining the value of real estate securing a mortgage.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency titled Quality Control Standards for Automated Valuation Models and published on August 7, 2024. The rule requires the implementation of quality control standards for automated valuation models used by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers when determining the value of real estate securing a mortgage.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency titled Quality Control Standards for Automated Valuation Models and published on August 7, 2024. The rule requires the implementation of quality control standards for automated valuation models used by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers when determining the value of real estate securing a mortgage.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency titled Quality Control Standards for Automated Valuation Models and published on August 7, 2024. The rule requires the implementation of quality control standards for automated valuation models used by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers when determining the value of real estate securing a mortgage.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

This joint resolution nullifies the final rule issued by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the National Credit Union Administration, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency titled Quality Control Standards for Automated Valuation Models and published on August 7, 2024. The rule requires the implementation of quality control standards for automated valuation models used by mortgage originators and secondary market issuers when determining the value of real estate securing a mortgage.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Responsible Borrower Protection Act of 2025 This bill prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) from implementing changes to the single-family home loan pricing framework for upfront fees on certain home loans, announced in January 2023. The changes revise the fee charts that provide percentage adjustments based on a borrower's credit score and other risk factors. Overall, these changes increase the percentage adjustments, with variations based on the particular risk profile of the loan.

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Helping Owners with Unaffordable Shoddy Edicts Act of 2025 or the HOUSE Act of 2025 This bill directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to withdraw the final determination titled Adoption of Energy Efficiency Standards for New Construction of HUD- and USDA-Financed Housing and published on April 26, 2024. The determination adopted updated minimum energy efficiency standards for newly built homes (except manufactured housing) financed through certain HUD and USDA programs. Specifically, it adopted the (1) 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which applies to single family homes and multifamily low-rise buildings up to three stories; and (2) 2019 American National Standards Institute/American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers/Illuminating Electrical Society (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES) Standard 90.1, which applies to multifamily residential buildings with four or more stories. HUD and USDA must also revert to using the energy efficiency standards required before the determination. In addition, the bill prohibits HUD, USDA, and the Department of Veterans Affairs from taking actions or using federal funds to implement or enforce the determination or any substantially similar determination. It also prohibits the Federal Housing Finance Agency from finalizing, implementing, or enforcing a determination or rule relating to energy efficiency standards for single and multifamily housing. Finally, the bill prohibits HUD and USDA from adopting updates to the IECC or ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 in certain circumstances unless at least 26 states have adopted codes or standards that meet or exceed the update's requirements.

Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Opportunity.