12 Mar 2025 One-Pager: The Choice in Affordable Housing Act in Housing
The Choice in Affordable Housing Act, led by Sens. Chris Coons (D-DE) and Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Reps. Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Mike Lawler (R-NY), is a bipartisan bill to improve affordable housing availability. Read the one-pager from BPC Action:
What would the bill do?
The Choice in Affordable Housing Act would expand access to affordable housing options for families in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program by incentivizing landlord participation and removing administrative barriers to the program.
How would the bill support tenants and landlords?
The Choice in Affordable Housing Act would offer financial incentives for landlords to participate and make it easier to rent units to HCV families. The bill removes duplicative inspection requirements for landlords with properties that have already been inspected and approved under other federal housing programs, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, and provides landlords with additional support during the lease-up process using landlord liaisons. It also includes financial incentives and program adjustments to increase voucher families’ access to high opportunity neighborhoods, enabling them to afford units in areas with good schools and jobs.
Why is the bill needed?
The HCV program enables more than 2.3 million low-income households—a majority of which include families with children, older adults, or people with disabilities—to affordably rent homes in the private market. Research shows that children raised in safe and stable housing experience better health, higher educational achievement, and greater long-term economic success. Despite the benefits of housing vouchers in promoting economic mobility, their success depends on landlord participation, which has declined in recent years. In fact, about 40% of voucher holders cannot find an eligible unit with a willing landlord. The Choice in Affordable Housing Act would streamline the HCV program and remove barriers to landlord participation, enabling the program to more effectively serve millions of American families.
To learn more about how this bill would improve housing access for low-income Americans, visit https://bipartisanpolicy.org/video/choice-in-affordable-housing-act/
