U.S. HOUSING AFFORDABILITY BILL BECOMES LAW WITHOUT TRUMP SIGNATURE

A bipartisan U.S. housing affordability bill has become law without President Donald Trump's signature after he refused to sign it over a separate dispute with Congress about voting legislation, according to NPR, CBS News and CNN. The law, known as the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, took effect at midnight after passing both chambers with large bipartisan majorities.

Trump did not veto the bill, allowing it to become law after the constitutional deadline passed. The president withheld his signature because Congress had not passed his preferred voting measure, which would impose national voter-ID and proof-of-citizenship requirements for registration.

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 85-5 and the House by a vote of 358-2, reflecting rare bipartisan agreement on housing affordability. Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony, and the refusal drew criticism from Democrats, who accused him of prioritizing election rules over housing costs.

The new law includes more than 45 provisions intended to increase housing supply, reduce costs and modernize federal housing programs. CNN reported that many are aimed at increasing development of affordable housing by removing regulatory barriers and streamlining environmental reviews.

Among the measures, the law launches a pilot program to help local governments convert vacant commercial buildings into affordable housing, unlocks more federal funding for factory-built homes, and eliminates a rule requiring such homes to be built on a chassis. It also creates an innovation fund for communities increasing housing supply and supports housing opportunities for veterans.

The law additionally limits purchases of single-family homes by institutional investors, a provision aimed at blocking private-equity firms and large investors from buying up residential properties.

The law does not resolve every pressure point in the housing market. Many barriers to affordability remain at the local level, including zoning, permitting delays and construction constraints that federal legislation can influence but not fully control.

The political significance comes from how the bill became law. Trump's refusal to sign it advanced an earlier dispute over election legislation, but because he did not veto the housing bill, it took effect anyway. That creates a rare split outcome in which the administration withheld public endorsement while the policy became federal law.

Fact-check date: 11 July 2026
Article type: News
Sources: NPR, CBS News, CNN, NBC News, Al Jazeera