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H.R. 7597House119th Congress (2025-2027)In Committee

Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act

To amend the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to require that the annual report of the Department of Housing and Urban Development include an identification of significant regulatory barriers to affordable housing.

Sponsored by Michael LawlerRep. Michael Lawler (R-NY)
Introduced February 17, 2026

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 27, 2026 at 3:41 AM UTC

The Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act would change the HUD law so that HUD’s yearly report must point out major regulatory obstacles that make affordable housing harder to build or maintain, and explain how those obstacles could be lessened or eliminated. This requirement is aimed at increasing transparency and informing policymakers, developers, and the public about the regulatory challenges affecting affordable housing.

Key Provisions

  • Amends the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to add a new requirement that HUD’s annual report must identify significant regulatory barriers to affordable housing.
  • The report must also include a discussion and analysis of ways to reduce or remove those barriers, using the definition of “significant regulatory barriers” from the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Financial Services Committee

February 17, 2026

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

February 17, 2026

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Financial Services Committee

February 17, 2026

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued February 17, 2026

I

119th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7597

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 17, 2026

Mr. Lawler introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services

A BILL

To amend the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act to require that the annual report of the Department of Housing and Urban Development include an identification of significant regulatory barriers to affordable housing.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Affordable Housing Barriers Transparency Act.

2.

Identification of regulatory barriers to affordable housing in HUD annual report

Section 8 of the Department of Housing and Urban Development Act (42 U.S.C. 3536) is amended by adding at the end the following: Each such annual report shall include an identification of significant regulatory barriers to affordable housing, within the meaning of such term as provided in the first sentence of section 1203 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992 (42 U.S.C. 12705b), and a discussion and analysis of how to reduce or remove such barriers..