Congress·In Committee·S. 3970

Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act

Rural Housing: Speeding Up Construction on Existing Lots

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This bill aims to make it faster and cheaper to build or fix up homes in rural areas. It does this by removing the requirement for a long federal environmental review for certain housing projects.
The change applies to homes built on "infill sites," which are lots that already have roads, water lines, and sewer systems. It does not allow building on untouched land like forests or farms, and it won't apply to areas at high risk for floods or wildfires.
The policy targets specific rural housing programs run by the Department of Agriculture. These programs help low-income families buy, build, or repair homes and support the construction of affordable rental housing in rural communities.
After five years, the Department of Agriculture would have to report back to Congress on whether this actually saved time and money. This report would also look at how the change affected the availability of affordable housing in rural America.

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.

2 milestones2 actions

Mar 3, 2026Senate

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.

Mar 3, 2026

Introduced in Senate

The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.

No votes or news coverage recorded for this bill yet.

Document Type

Congressional Bill

Official Title

Rural Housing Regulatory Relief Act

Bill NumberS 3970

Congress119th Congress

ChamberSenate

Latest ActionRead twice and referred to the Committee on Environment and Public Works.

Congress.gov

Official legislative information

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