Accessible Housing: New Rules for Federally Funded Homes
A senate committee must act next: committee consideration.
While the goal of accessibility is popular, the bill adds costs to new construction and faces a long path through committees where similar mandates often stall.
Scores run from -100 (strongly harmful) to +100 (strongly beneficial) for each group, combining impact, certainty, scope, and duration ratings of 1-5. How impact scoring works
Home builders and developers who use federal grants, loan guarantees, or tax credits must submit design plans for accessibility review, meet a new construction standard, and can be sued for up to 5 years after a violation. This adds compliance paperwork, potential redesign costs, and new legal liability for smaller construction firms and developers.
“a person aggrieved by the act or omission may bring a civil action in an appropriate district court of the United States against any person or entity responsible for any part of the design or construction of the covered dwelling unit”
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.
Sent to a congressional committee for expert review. The committee decides whether this bill moves forward.
Introduced in Senate
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth and Representative Jan Schakowsky reintroduced the Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act to reduce housing accessibility barriers. The bill requires all newly constructed single-family homes and townhouses built with federal funding to include visitability features.
The Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act of 2026 aims to mandate that all newly constructed, federally assisted single-family houses and townhouses meet minimum accessibility standards. Key provisions include at least one zero-step entrance and wide doors to ensure homes are visitable.
No votes or related bills recorded for this bill yet.
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Eleanor Smith Inclusive Home Design Act of 2026
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