[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4956 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 4956

  To provide that the Executive order entitled ``Establishing a White 
    House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable 
    Housing'' shall have the force and effect of law, and for other 
                               purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 31, 2019

Ms. Foxx of North Carolina (for herself and Mrs. Wagner) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial 
                                Services

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide that the Executive order entitled ``Establishing a White 
    House Council on Eliminating Regulatory Barriers to Affordable 
    Housing'' shall have the force and effect of law, and for other 
                               purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Finding Market-Based and Local 
Solutions to Ensure Access to Housing Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Communities across the country are facing an affordable 
        housing crisis.
            (2) Families who pay more than 30 percent of their income 
        for housing are considered cost burdened and may have 
        difficulty affording necessities such as food, clothing, 
        transportation, and medical care.
            (3) The Department of Housing and Urban Development 
        estimates 12,000,000 renter and homeowner households now pay 
        more than 50 percent of their annual incomes for housing.
            (4) The prohibitive cost of housing slows economic growth 
        and means fewer jobs and lower wages.
            (5) Housing demand depends on local demographics, job 
        markets, and place-based amenities.
            (6) Housing supply depends on local availability of land 
        and the cost and complexity of housing development.
            (7) Land-use restrictions are a significant factor in 
        housing supply and prices.
            (8) There is evidence that exclusionary and restrictive 
        zoning raises housing prices and restricts the supply of 
        housing across the country.
            (9) Housing markets are local.
            (10) Exclusionary and restrictive zoning policies that 
        affect development are adopted by local governments.
            (11) The Federal Government has limited control over State 
        and local land-use policy and zoning.
            (12) To understand and correct housing shortages, Federal, 
        State, and local governments need to look at all options.
            (13) Housing is critical for health, economic stability, 
        and academic success.

SEC. 3. LEGAL EFFECT.

    Notwithstanding any other provision of law or Executive order, 
Executive Order 13878 (84 Fed. Reg. 30853), signed on June 25, 2019, 
and entitled ``Establishing a White House Council on Eliminating 
Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing'' shall have the force and 
effect of law.

SEC. 4. REPORT TO CONGRESS.

    (a) In General.--Not later than 1 year after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the White House Council on Eliminating 
Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing shall submit to the Congress 
a report on the implementation, by the Council, of section 4 of 
Executive Order 13878 (84 Fed. Reg. 30853).
    (b) Subsequent Reports.--The White House Council on Eliminating 
Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Housing shall submit any subsequent 
report that the Congress may request or that the Council may deem 
appropriate.
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