Congress is moving forward with legislation that seeks to address the nation鈥檚 housing shortage and help more Americans find affordable places to live.
The House and Senate have each passed major bills and lawmakers say they represent some of the most significant efforts to address housing issues in decades.
Rep. Gabe Evans (R-CO) is among those who have been actively pressing for housing and regulatory reforms.聽He represents Colorado鈥檚 8th District north of Denver and has more than 700,000 constituents.
When he meets with people in聽his district and asks: 鈥淲hat are the big challenges you鈥檙e facing? Housing affordability is always one of them.鈥�
Evans pointed out that affordable housing affects everyone from young couples trying to buy their first home to seniors seeking a community to live in that won鈥檛 drain their personal savings.
鈥淎 lot of that boils down to the inventory of available homes that people can actually afford, whether that鈥檚 buying, whether that鈥檚 renting, and there鈥檚 some interesting interplay there,鈥� he said during 草莓传媒鈥檚 Balancing the Housing Equation 2026.
鈥淏ut we鈥檝e taken a lot of steps in Congress to try to make sure that we have that inventory of affordable homes for people that are getting started off in life and need the stability that housing provides for them,鈥� he added.
Affordability 鈥� only part of the housing equation
Dejernette 鈥淒ee Dee鈥� Beaty, senior vice president of housing for (VOANS), has extensive experience in bringing all the affordable housing facets together.
鈥淲e want to provide high-quality, affordable housing options, coupled with robust residence services,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his approach allows us to prioritize the wellness of the whole human being but also helps us to elevate the health and vibrancy of our communities.鈥�
Construction of facilities is only part of the overall goal 鈥� a healthy community goes hand-in-hand with stable and quality housing, Beaty said. 鈥淚 see housing as being a basic human right.鈥�
Housing affects everyone, she pointed out.
鈥淚t could be individuals that are seniors or veterans or disabled 鈥� individuals living on a fixed income,鈥� Beaty said. 鈥淚t could also be working families where they鈥檙e making too much income and are not able to qualify for rental assistance of subsidized units.鈥�
VOANS is dedicated to helping all of these people, whatever their situation.
She said failing to provide necessary assistance can lead to broader problems, involving poverty and chronic illness.
鈥淪o we have to get it right. I don鈥檛 think we can afford not to get it right,鈥� Beaty said. 鈥淭oo much is at stake.鈥�
Housing is on the congressional radar
Evans and Beaty both expressed optimism that Congress finally seems to be making progress addressing critical housing issues.
Evans pointed out that his state, Colorado, has a shortage of at least 100,000 housing units 鈥� and it鈥檚 in the millions across the country.
But he believes the doubling of the tax credit for homebuilders, passed by Congress last year, will help them 鈥済o out and build affordable homes.鈥�
鈥淲hen we鈥檙e increasing that inventory … think starter homes, think condominiums, think townhouses, things like that,鈥� Evans said. 鈥淵ou have more supply,聽 the prices go down, and folks are going to be more able to take that first step to home ownership or at least being housed even if they鈥檙e renting.鈥�
Evans said he believes it鈥檚 important for Congress to use a collaborative approach with state and local governments, so they can develop facilities that reflect their communities. He said that can be done by continuing to cut back on duplicative federal regulations and helping with infrastructure.
Beaty said she, too, likes the trends she鈥檚 seeing.
鈥淲hat gives聽me聽hope about the future of affordable housing is just seeing that there is more discussion about the affordable housing crisis, but also there has been a commitment to find solutions at the local, state and federal levels,鈥� she said.
VOANS is starting to see hospital systems, schools and universities and churches partner with it and others to help create affordable housing solutions.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just good to see that others are starting to understand the importance of health and housing, and they鈥檙e looking to be part of the solution,鈥� Beaty said.
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