Senator Fetterman’s legislative wins in the housing package include his Whole-Home Repairs Act and Housing Supply Frameworks Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. — After a 358-32 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives, the bipartisan and bicameral 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act has passed Congress. The legislative package includes a pair of bills Senator Fetterman introduced –– the Whole-Home Repairs Act and the Housing Supply Frameworks Act — and were the result of working across the aisle and putting the housing needs of hardworking Americans first.
“I’ve consistently maintained that our housing crisis needs real solutions that help address the problems at the center. I’m proud to see both of my bills included in the housing package that just passed the House –– one ensures families can stay in their homes, and the other helps state partners enact zoning reforms,” said Senator Fetterman. “I want to thank State Senator Nikil Saval for being a strong advocate for the Whole-Home Repairs program in Pennsylvania and helping bring this to the national level, and especially grateful to Senator Lummis and all my colleagues who supported the Whole-Homes Repairs Act and Housing Supply Frameworks Act here in Congress. I remain committed to finding more solutions on the housing needs for all Americans, and look forward to the president signing this housing deal into law.”
Whole-Home Repairs Act Background
The Whole-Home Repairs Act has been a day-one priority since Senator Fetterman was sworn in. In March of 2024, Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval –– who championed the successful program at the state level –– joined Senator Fetterman in introducing this legislation and dropping the bill text off to the floor of the Senate.
“When we passed the Whole-Home Repairs Program, our hope was to provide Pennsylvanians with the means to stay warm, safe, and dry in their homes, and to offer a blueprint for other states grappling with how to preserve their aging housing stock and protect the health of their residents. Today’s passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act shows the realization of this hope. I’m enormously proud for Pennsylvania to have laid the path for national housing action and immensely grateful to our federal partners for their vision and dedication in advancing this program for people across the country,” said State Senator Nikil Saval (D-Philadelphia County).
In the bill’s most recent introduction, U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined as the bipartisan lead, with U.S. Senators Mike Rounds (R-SD) and Tina Smith (D-MN) joining as original cosponsors.
Across the country, an estimated 6.7 million Americans live in homes with serious deficiencies such as leaking roofs, mold, faulty wiring, or inadequate heating and cooling systems. These issues disproportionately affect renters, low-income households, and communities of color, exacerbating existing inequalities in health, safety, and financial stability. By addressing housing deterioration at its root, the Whole-Home Repairs Act tackles one of the biggest contributors to the housing shortage: the loss of livable housing units to blight and decay.
The Whole-Home Repairs Act expands on the Pennsylvania program that provided grants and forgivable loans to help homeowners and small landlords repair and weatherize their properties. The Pennsylvania program also supported training and pre-apprenticeship programs to create jobs and build a skilled workforce for the future.
Housing Supply Frameworks Act Background
The Housing Supply Frameworks Act was introduced by U.S. Senators John Fetterman (D-PA), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Mike Crapo (R-ID), and Thom Tillis (R-NC). The bill will provide resources to help communities overhaul their zoning and land‑use regulations. By channeling national expertise, the Department of Housing and Urban Development will provide a new framework to assist localities in breaking down barriers and increasing the supply of affordable housing for families across all income levels.
“The affordable housing crisis is squeezing too many Americans out of the dream of homeownership. Equipping cities and states with tools to change their zoning and land use policies to accommodate increasing the available supply of housing is a good place to start in mitigating this crisis,” said Senator Crapo. “The Housing Supply Frameworks Act contains no federal mandate, but would empower municipalities to choose zoning reforms uniquely tailored to the needs of their local communities.”
“This bipartisan legislation gives local communities the tools they need to modernize zoning and land use policies to make housing more affordable and accessible for North Carolinians,” said Senator Tillis. “By equipping states and municipalities with the resources to streamline regulations and cut unnecessary red tape, we can expand affordable housing options for families across the nation.”
This legislation continues the work Senator Fetterman has championed since his first days in the Senate to knock down the barriers that prevent Pennsylvanians from having enough safe, affordable homes. In 2024, he led the Reducing Regulatory Barriers to Housing Act. The Housing Supply Frameworks Act is a bipartisan continuation of that effort, underscoring that cutting red tape and building more homes can unite both sides of the aisle.
With these bills, families across the Commonwealth will have the financial support they need to remain in their homes, while ensuring housing developers have the zoning certainty they need to keep growing America’s housing stock.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act now heads to President Trump’s desk to be signed into law.
