Major bipartisan U.S. Senate bill introduced to modernize and update rural housing programs
On May 1, Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) introduced the “Rural Housing Service Reform Act of 2023” (S.1389) in the U.S. Senate. The bill would aim to improve the housing programs administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Housing Service (RHS) through several reforms, including decoupling rental assistance from maturing mortgages, permanently establishing the Multifamily Housing Preservation and Revitalization Demonstration (MPR), making permanent the Native CDFI Relending pilot program, and improving staff training and capacity within RHS.