Skip to content
CityLab
Housing

Bipartisan Bill Would Bring $1.5 Billion to Spur New Housing

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar’s Housing Supply and Affordability Act would encourage cities and rural communities to overcome barriers to new housing construction. 

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar speaks during a news conference in March.

Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar speaks during a news conference in March.

Photographer: Caroline Brehman/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images

By

On the campaign trail, Joe Biden pledged his support for local governments struggling under stifling exclusionary zoning codes that prevent new housing construction. As president, he he may find a bill addressing that very issue on his desk. 

On March 23, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar, with fellow Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, will introduce the Housing Supply and Affordability Act. The bipartisan bill would authorize $1.5 billion for federal grants to local governments that commit to increase their supply of local housing, to be distributed over the next five years.