Housing Issues in the 113th Congress (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised April 15, 2015 |
| Report Number |
R43367 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Jones, Kate;Carpenter, David Hatcher;Hoskins, Sean M.;Keightley, Mark P.;McCarty, Maggie;Weiss, N. Eric |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
The 113th Congress was active in considering a number of housing-related issues. In general, these issues can be divided into two broad categories: (1) issues related to homeownership and financing home purchases, and (2) issues related to housing assistance programs for low-income households. Housing assistance for low-income households tends to be primarily, but not exclusively, related to rental housing.
During the 113th Congress, housing and mortgage markets showed some signs of recovering after several years of distress. Nevertheless, several issues that Congress considered were related to addressing problems that arose from the turmoil in housing and mortgage markets in recent years. Congress also considered policy changes designed to address problems that were perceived to have contributed to the housing downturn in an attempt to avoid a similar situation in the future.
One major issue that was on Congress's agenda was reform of the housing finance system. Specifically, Congress considered measures to wind down and possibly replace Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) that purchase mortgages and package them into guaranteed mortgage-backed securities. Congress also considered reforms to the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), both as part of larger housing finance reform proposals and as stand-alone measures, in light of concerns about FHA's finances. However, no housing finance reform legislation or broad FHA reform legislation was enacted during the 113th Congress. Additionally, Congress was interested in overseeing the implementation of several mortgage-related rulemakings that were enacted as part of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (P.L. 111-203) in the 111th Congress, and deliberated on other issues related to housing finance.
Congress also considered a number of issues related to housing assistance for low-income individuals and families. In recent years, housing affordability issues have become more prevalent, partly due to the effects of the economic recession. At the same time, in response to growing concerns about the long-term budget outlook, less funding has been provided for many of the housing assistance programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Therefore, an issue before the 113th Congress was how to prioritize funding for housing programs. Congress also considered additional issues related to housing for low-income families, including extensions of certain provisions related to the low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) program and efforts to reauthorize the major federal program that provides federal housing assistance to low-income Native Americans living in tribal areas.
Congress also weighed whether to extend certain housing-related tax provisions that expired at the end of 2013, such as the tax exclusion for canceled mortgage debt income.
