Key Housing Credit priorities, amounting to the largest investment in the program in decades, advanced in the House this morning as part of reconciliation legislation. The House passed the reconciliation bill by a narrow vote of 215-214. See the bill text (Housing Credit provisions Sec. 111109) and section-by-section (Housing Credit provisions on page 209).
If enacted, the Housing Credit provisions would amount to a $14.1 billion investment in the program and would lead to the creation or preservation of an estimated 527,700 more affordable homes over the next decade than otherwise possible, according to estimates from Novogradac. Residents of Housing Credit homes benefit from significant rent savings – an average savings of over $7,800 per year compared to those paying market-rate rents.
Congress is now heading home for Memorial Day recess having met Speaker Johnson’s (R-LA) stated goal. When Congress reconvenes in June, the Senate will consider the reconciliation bill and work to advance the legislation to President Trump’s desk by the Fourth of July.
The reconciliation legislation includes the following Housing Credit provisions:
- Restoring the 12.5% Housing Credit allocation increase for 2026 – 2029,
- Lowering the 50% private-activity bond threshold test to 25% for obligations made after December 31, 2025, and before January 1, 2030, and
- Providing a 30% basis boost for buildings in rural and Native American communities placed in service after December 31, 2025 and before January 1, 2030.
“The Housing Credit provisions in the reconciliation legislation are a welcome step toward the creation of over half a million additional affordable homes in the U.S.,” said AHTCC CEO Emily Cadik. “At a time when housing costs remain high, and safe, affordable homes remain out of reach in too many communities across the country, we applaud this huge stride toward resolving a crisis that continues to affect millions of Americans.”
“With our nation’s housing crisis reaching record levels, there is a strong imperative for Congress to act. The affordable housing crisis affects every state and all types of communities,” said Dudley Benoit, President of the AHTCC Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of Walker & Dunlop. “The Housing Credit has proven to be an effective tool in urban and rural areas alike. Without action, this crisis will continue to spiral, leaving more families unable to find affordable housing in their communities and making it more difficult for those communities to support a workforce.”
These Housing Credit proposals were introduced as part of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025 (AHCIA, H.R.2725/S.1515), a bipartisan bill recently reintroduced in House of Representatives by Rep. Darin LaHood (R-IL) and in the Senate by Sen. Todd Young (R-IN). The AHCIA is now cosponsored by over one-third of Congress – 141 Representatives and 38 Senators – representing 46 states across the country.
The AHTCC applauds the House’s passage of this historic investment in affordable housing. We encourage AHTCC members to remain engaged as the reconciliation process continues to unfold in the Senate. We will discuss these developments and more during our 2025 Affordable Housing Symposium, co-hosted with the Housing Advisory Group. Click here for registration information.
Comments are closed.