I spent part of this week in Washington, D.C., with the National Association of REALTORS® for our annual legislative meetings. As a member of the Federal Financing and Housing Policy Committee, I had a front-row (literally and figuratively) seat for some important conversations about the issues shaping the housing market right now.
Some of those meetings were closed to the press. But the issues being discussed are very much public, and as someone whose job is to help you make one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, I think you deserve to know what’s on the table.
Historic Housing Legislation Is on the Verge of Becoming Law
This is the big one. The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is a bipartisan bill that Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren has called “the biggest housing bill in more than 30 years.” It is expected to be signed into law imminently.
The legislation tackles the root cause of rising housing costs: lack of supply. Key provisions include a $200 million annual Innovation Fund (Section 210) that rewards communities for reducing zoning barriers and increasing housing supply, funding for manufactured housing infrastructure and disaster recovery, community development grants, and for the first time ever, limits on institutional investors buying up single-family homes.
This matters in Shawnee. More housing supply means more options for buyers, more competition among sellers, and a healthier market for everyone.
The Safety Net Is Under Pressure
USA Today reporter Andrea Riquier covers housing, the economy, and financial markets. She quoted me earlier this week in a story on home pricing strategy, and she also published an important piece on rising mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures that every homeowner should read: Mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures are rising, a worrisome sign.
Nothing like 2008, but the trend is worth watching, especially among buyers who stretched to get into the market in 2022 and after at high prices and high rates.
What makes the timing worse is that the agencies designed to help struggling homeowners are being gutted. HUD funding cuts have forced housing counseling organizations across the country to lay off staff and turn away people who need help. One executive director in Ohio lost 16 workers and described turning people away as something that “breaks my heart.”
NAR has been fighting back. The House Appropriations Committee recently adopted a bipartisan amendment, drafted by NAR, to protect housing counseling funding in the HUD spending bill. You can read NAR’s full explanation of what’s at stake here. The Senate fight is still ongoing, and NAR is pushing to have the protective language included in the bill itself, not just the committee report, so it carries more weight.
Help for Veterans Who Are Falling Behind
Patrick Zondervan, Executive Director of Loan Guaranty Service at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, presented our committee with a comprehensive update on the VA Home Loan program. The numbers tell a strong story.
VA loans now represent 14.6% of all mortgages. In FY25, more than 525,000 loans totaling over $200 billion were guaranteed for veterans, and volume is up 27% so far in FY26. Veterans are strong borrowers, with an average credit score of 720 and a foreclosure rate under 1%.
But for veterans who are struggling, there is a new program worth knowing about. The VA Partial Claim Program, authorized by the VA Home Loan Reform Act of 2025, allows mortgage servicers to advance funds to bring a delinquent loan current, with VA reimbursing the servicer and the veteran repaying the amount at the end of the loan term. Monthly payments don’t increase, and the veteran’s low interest rate is preserved.
The program went live June 15, 2026, with mandatory servicer implementation beginning November 28, 2026. If you or someone you know has a VA loan and is falling behind on payments, talk to your loan servicer or visit VA.gov for details.
A Few More Things Worth Watching
The Trump Administration has proposed two USDA rule changes that NAR supports: one that would allow financing on properties with income-generating ADUs (accessory dwelling units, like garage apartments), and another that would exclude buyer broker fees from seller concession caps. Both are good for buyers and sellers alike.
NAR is also keeping an eye on whether FHA will permanently eliminate its anti-flip rule, which currently restricts resale timelines on FHA-financed properties. FHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Matt Jones recently voiced support for doing just that. No rule yet, but it’s moving in the right direction.
Why This Matters in Shawnee
National housing policy isn’t abstract. It shapes mortgage availability, foreclosure rates, inventory levels, and the programs available to buyers and sellers in markets like ours. Someone needs to be paying attention and showing up.
That’s why I go to Washington.
If you have questions about what any of this means for your situation, I’m always happy to talk.