National Association of REALTORS®’ advocacy efforts pushed for bipartisan action to help reverse the housing affordability and supply crisis.

On Thursday, March 12th, the U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, advancing one of the most significant federal efforts to address the nation’s housing supply and affordability challenges in decades.

NAR strongly supported the bill, launching a targeted Call for Action through its Federal Political Coordinator program to ensure its passage. The effort reached more than half the Senate within the first 24 hours.

NAR has spent years building the foundation for this moment, partnering with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and producing original research to advance a broad range of housing affordability solutions, making the vote a clear example of REALTOR® advocacy in action.

If signed into law, this legislation would be the most comprehensive bipartisan housing bill enacted by Congress since the 2008 financial crisis.

“REALTORS® applaud the Senate’s bipartisan approach to addressing our nation’s housing supply crisis,” says Shannon McGahn, NAR’s executive vice president and chief advocacy officer. “By tackling housing barriers at every level of government, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act offers the kind of comprehensive approach needed to address the affordability crisis and expand homeownership opportunities for more Americans.”

This legislation equips communities with new tools and resources to plan for growth, streamlines federal processes that can slow housing development and strengthens financing options for manufactured and rural housing.

It also modernizes key federal programs, including the HOME Investment Partnerships Program, helping to broaden access to homeownership, improves access to credit for home buyers and ensures veterans are able to fully use their benefits through the VA Home Loan Program.

Practical Solutions to Increase Housing Supply

“America faces a shortage of nearly 5 million homes, and rising costs are putting homeownership further out of reach for millions of families,” McGahn says. “The median age of a first-time home buyer has climbed to 40, a sign that today’s housing market is failing too many aspiring homeowners. Yet homeownership remains central to the American dream and one of the most powerful ways families build generational wealth.”

“REALTORS® have been sounding the alarm for years that housing supply is not keeping pace with demand,” NAR’s McGahn says. “Our members see the impact every day as they work with families struggling to find a home they can afford. That’s why REALTORS® nationwide have partnered with policymakers on both sides of the aisle to advance practical solutions that increase housing supply and improve affordability.

“When Congress began taking up major housing legislation, REALTORS® stepped up, engaging directly with lawmakers and urging action to address the housing shortage. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a direct result of that effort,” she says.

Last year, NAR joined the National League of Cities in America’s Housing Comeback to accelerate community progress on housing supply issues using the solutions, systems and partnership approach outlined in the Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook. In December 2025, NAR Immediate Past President Kevin Sears testified before the full House Financial Services Committee in support of key housing reforms that would increase supply and affordability, many of which were included in the bill.

With members in every zip code, he said, NAR leaders see firsthand how housing policy shapes communities nationwide and understand why action is so needed.

NAR urges the House of Representatives to swiftly pass this legislation and send it to the president’s desk so American families have greater opportunity to achieve homeownership.

Souce: Michael Rauber for REALTOR® Magazine