This bill would change a federal transit capital grants law (49 U.S.C. §5309). It adds a new definition called "pro-housing policy" and lists examples, such as reducing or removing parking minimums, allowing multi-family housing to be approved "by-right" using only objective standards, lowering minimum lot sizes, using public land for housing affordable to low-income households, and raising residential height limits or allowed units. The bill lets the Secretary of Transportation give an extra 1-point boost on a 5-point project-justification rating when a grant applicant shows documented pro-housing policies within walking distance of transit along the project route. The Secretary must consult with the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to make a method for measuring how many new or preserved housing units the local policies are likely to produce over the life of the transit project. The bill also requires public reporting about projects that received the rating boost, including the policies submitted and the amount of housing units expected from those policies.
The bill was introduced July 21, 2025, by Senators Brian Schatz and Jim Banks and was referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
No publicly available information on direct costs or funding changes is included in the bill text. The bill changes how projects are rated and what information must be reported; it does not specify new grant amounts or explicit federal spending. Any administrative or program costs to federal agencies are not detailed in the text.
The bill links federal transit grant ratings to local pro-housing actions. It is written to encourage the removal of regulatory barriers and to promote development and preservation of housing near transit, including housing affordable below area median income.
No publicly available information.