US and Minnesota Enact Bipartisan Housing Affordability Laws

The United States government and the state of Minnesota have implemented two bipartisan initiatives to combat critical housing shortages. At the federal level, the 21st Century Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act became law on July 11. The act was enacted after President Donald Trump left the legislation unsigned beyond the 10-day constitutional window.

The federal law establishes a $200-million-a-year Housing Supply Innovation Fund to incentivize zoning and permitting updates for missing middle projects. It also removes permanent chassis requirements for manufactured homes to lower costs and streamlines programs within the United States Department of Agriculture Rural Housing Service to maintain affordable rural rental units. These measures target a national deficit of 5 million homes.

Complementing these federal efforts, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed the 2026 Minnesota Omnibus Housing Finance and Policy Bill on May 18 to address a state deficit of 300,000 homes. This state package deploys $100 million in housing infrastructure bonds for starter homes and allocates $4 million to the Manufactured Housing Rehabilitation Program. Additionally, the bill earmarks $14.3 million for housing in nonmetro communities to assist employers with worker recruitment.