THE 21ST CENTURY ROAD TO HOUSING ACT MUST BE AMENDED

Update 7/20/26 - Although this act passed, significant loopholes and concessions prevent it from completely stopping corporate ownership. It also did nothing to require divestment in the case of large corporate ownership, and investors are still allowed to own 349 single-family homes without even being classified as a "large institutional investor" who is prohibited from buying more homes. This did nothing to fix the housing. We will be monitoring this issue and looking for an opportunity to propose improvements to this legislation.

UPDATE 6/28/26 - Trump has not yet signed off on this bill and this means the Senate can call it back. This bill was intended to protect the inventory of single family housing in America to ensure that the American dream of owning a home can continue to be realized. Horse trading and the like left this bill with no teeth and now there is nothing new which would even slow the pace of investor purchases.

In the 1st quarter of 2025, investors (mostly small and medium) purchased 27% of all homes on the market. This cannot continue, and Trump's attempt to hold this bill hostage might actually work in our favor. Please call your representatives now and let them know they have an opportunity to make this right by making this bill what it was intended to be, a bill for the people.

ORIGINAL TEXT

The dream of homeownership is fading in America, and this is due to runaway capitalism. Homeownership is deeply embedded in the American way of life and the American Dream. Owning a home offers long-term stability in housing costs and fosters a sense of belonging and community rootedness. It underpins American democracy and equality by transforming residents into civic stakeholders with a literal plot of land to defend.

As it is written, this bill would fail to protect this dream and only create loopholes. The original Senate version called for investors to mandatorily sell off excessive inventory to prevent the takeover of single-family homes which leaves Americans vulnerable to inflation and a lack of stability. Compromises in the House make this bill nothing more than political bluster, only preventing investors from owning more than 350 homes. That is ridiculous! Your voice is needed. This has passed the House and now is your chance to urge the Senate to fix this bill so it works and the American dream of homeownership is protected and revived.

Read on or click this link if you are ready to take action: How to Take Action

Here are some of the specifics of why we believe this legislation is important, but it must be amended to work as intended:

The Investor Takeover is Real and Gaining Speed: Investors purchased approximately 27% of all homes sold in the first quarter of 2025. Institutional investors often target entry-level, affordable single-family homes.

Many Buyers Can No Longer Compete: Investors frequently outbid first-time buyers with all-cash offers, waiving inspections to close deals quickly. This artificially inflates home prices and rents. In the long run, a combination of investor behavior, high mortgage rates, and a severe supply deficit could push homeownership permanently out of reach for a vast majority of middle- and lower-income Americans.

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a bipartisan bill aimed at lowering home prices and increasing affordability by boosting housing supply, cutting regulatory building costs, and restricting large corporations from buying single-family homes.

This Bill Fails to Stop Investors from Causing Harm: This bill falls short because it only targets "mega-investors" owning 350 or more homes. Its the small and mid-sized investors who actually make up the vast majority of real estate buyers driving up prices and reducing inventory for everyday families.

Homes Must be Available to the Public: Homes are only available if the inventory exists and the price is affordable. Our vision is a 10-home max in any investment portfolio along with forced divestment of any inventory greater than this over a 5-year period. This will soften the blow to markets and investors while gradually reintroducing homes and revitalizing an essential component of the American Dream.

If you do not support runaway capitalism making it so everyday Americans can no longer afford their own home, the time to take actions is now.

A family enjoys playing outside their home on a sunny day.

How to Take Action

We must let congress know their legislation as written will fail. It must include much more stringent limits on investor ownership. Please contact your senators and let them know what must be done.

To find the contact information for your state representatives, use the following link: https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/
If you are passionate about this issue, please share a link to this page with friends or on your social media. Our power grows when we unite.
Please consider making multiple calls or sending multiple emails to your congresspeople to drive home the message that you will not stop until they take action.

Script to Consider for Calls and Emails:

Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [City, State].

While the 21ST CENTURY ROAD TO HOUSING ACT appears to have good intent, it fails to address the growing shortage in housing inventory and the increasing lack of homeownership affordability for most Americans.

Homeownership is deeply embedded in the American way of life and the American Dream. It underpins American democracy and equality by transforming residents into civic stakeholders with a literal plot of land to defend.

Because of runaway capitalism, buyers often can no longer compete. If left unchecked, most middle and lower income Americans will no longer be able to own a home.

You can still make this right. Your help is needed to make sure investor inventories are limited to 10 homes in any combined portfolio. You must further require all ownership in excess of this limit is liquidated and put back on the market.

This will cause investors pain, but this is nothing compared to the pain millions will feel without your intervention. America is counting on you.

Investors purchased approximately 27% of all homes sold in the first quarter of 2025, and it is small and mid-sized investors who actually make up the vast majority of real estate buyers driving up prices and reducing inventory for everyday families.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

[Your name]

If you need help getting started, reach out to us by using this Contact / Signup link. We want to ensure that you are able to do your part and are willing to assist you where needed. We are all in this together.

Tips for Effective Calling:

One Issue Per Call: Focus on one topic per call to ensure it is accurately tallied.
Keep it Brief: Staffers are logging, not debating; simply state your name, address, and your position on the issue.
Daily Calls are Okay: It is generally acceptable to call once a day about an active issue or vote.
Use Local Offices if the Washington D.C. Office is Busy: Calls to the local district office are also logged.
If Needed, Use Tools: Platforms like 5Calls.org or local advocacy group guides help identify the best times and numbers to call.

THE 21ST CENTURY ROAD TO HOUSING ACT MUST BE AMENDED

How to Take Action

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