Bipartisan Housing Bill Becomes Law Without Trump's Signature

It's a common shibboleth among American politicians on both sides of the political spectrum that owning a house is an essential part of the American dream. For the most part, it's how to ensure most Americans can reach that goal that differs, and as with more things, the more that government interferes, the worse things get.

In the latest round, Congress, actually acting in a bipartisan fashion for once, passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act by a veto-proof margin, at that. The bill went to President Trump, who, as a protest over the Senate not passing the SAVE American Act, refused to sign it. Neither, however, did he veto it. The housing bill has now become law without his signature, as per the Constitution.

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act aims to address the country’s housing shortage by increasing the supply of homes and overall homeownership. The legislation loosens regulations to encourage housing construction and limits Wall Street investors from buying homes that could go to families instead.

How, though? Here are some thumbnails of what's in the new law.

Reform Housing Counseling and Financial Literacy Programs
Establish Guidelines for Permitting Single-Stair Multifamily Buildings
Coordinate USDA and HUD Environmental Reviews
Require CDBG Grantees to Publish Databases of Publicly Owned Land
Improve Access to Small-Dollar Mortgages
Establish a Temperature Sensor Pilot Program
Provide Best Practices for State and Local Zoning and Land-Use Policy
Increase Housing in Opportunity Zones

Of these, the one with the most promise to actually bring more housing into the market is the second to the last, and even then, it's unclear how providing "best practices" is to the largely municipal and county governments that determine zoning and land-use policies. And in many places, it is these, along with onerous permitting requirements, that are strangling the development of new housing.

The other thing that looks interesting is the "guidelines for permitting single-stair multifamily buildings," which presumably means large apartment buildings. That's how many other places handle housing for those with lower incomes. In Japan, cities like Tokyo and Osaka are far more tightly packed than any American city, but young people can afford to live in them, because of the many high-rise apartment buildings; they deal with the problem by vertical filing, and there's no reason to think that wouldn't work here as well. Although once more, that's predominantly a local issue.

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While President Trump declined to sign the bill, it became law without his signature. The Constitution, in Article I, Section 7, Clause 1, states in part:

If any Bill shall not be returned by the President within ten Days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the Same shall be a Law, in like Manner as if he had signed it, unless the Congress by their Adjournment prevent its Return, in which Case it shall not be a Law.

That's how this became law. Even so, this is largely a state and local issue. But there is one big thing that the national government can do to bring down housing costs by increasing the number of available housing units: Continue and expand our deportation efforts. Not one housing unit should be occupied by people who are in the country illegally. That, out of all the things that the federal government could do, would and will have the largest effect on housing cost and availability.

You can read the Act in its entirety here.

Editor’s Note: Thanks to President Trump’s leadership and bold policies, America’s economy is back on track.

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