Bipartisan Housing Reform Legislation Advances in Congress

On July 29, 2025, the U.S. Senate Banking Committee unanimously advanced significant housing legislation for the first time since the 2008-2009 recession.  

The Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act of 2025 includes a wide range of policy approaches to address housing affordability, including provisions to boost supply, modernize financing options, reduce regulatory barriers and promote economic mobility.  

The bill’s strong bipartisan support could be an indication for Congress to take additional action on the legislation this fall. 

Supporting Off-Site Construction and Resilient and Affordable Construction

The bill expands the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards – a code created by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) – scope to apply to housing “with or without a permanent chassis.” Currently, state and local governments utilize the International Code Council’s International Residential Code® (IRC) to govern construction of homes built off–site that are not affixed to a permanent chassis.  

The Code Council is working with building safety organizations and Congress to ensure that the legislation’s expansion of the HUD code assures equivalent life safety requirements to the IRC, supports code official training and recognizes existing consensus-based codes and standards.  

Additionally, the Code Council has co-developed a series of best practice standards for off-site construction with the Modular Building Institute that several states have already adopted. Currently, the Code Council is working with the New York Institute of Technology on an additional standard that is still in development.  

The bill would also authorize the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery program, with a variation on Code Council-supported language regarding resilient construction.  

Lastly, the bill would also direct HUD to publish best practices for zoning and cost-effective building codes, provide grants for “pattern books” to speed affordable housing projects and support home repairs and training, among many other housing provisions.  

Support From the Code Council

In the weeks ahead, the Code Council’s Government Relations team will continue to engage with key Members of Congress on the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 to ensure the bill supports construction that is safe, resilient and affordable.  

For any questions or requests to engage with federal elected officials on the legislation, please contact the Government Relations team at advoacy@iccsafe.org.