VIDEO: Harder’s New Housing Laws Building More Homes in the Valley
More housing grants, expanded loan financing for affordable housing
VIDEO from the construction site tour is available here
TRACY – Today, Rep. Josh Harder (CA-09) traveled to one of the fastest-growing communities in California with the Housing Authority County of San Joaquin to highlight how his bills that just became law will make it easier for families to own a home in the Valley. Harder toured the construction of an affordable housing project managed by the Housing Authority, met with local workers and developers, and discussed how his new laws will get more homes built and lower housing costs.
For decades, Washington looked the other way while the housing crisis grew worse:
- California is short millions of homes, and more than half the state is cost-burdened, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
- Higher housing prices have pushed the median homebuying age to nearly 60 and the first-time homebuying age to 40, boxing out an entire generation from homeownership.
- In San Joaquin County alone, families need to earn over $130,000 annually to afford a home, which is 40% higher than the county's average household income.
“One third of young adults are still living at home because we don’t have enough housing and prices are skyrocketing as a result,” said Rep. Harder. “That’s why I stood up to the gridlock in Washington and helped negotiate and pass the strongest housing package in half a century, which included my bills to get more homes built in the Valley. Finally being able to own a home is about to get easier for our families and the next generation.”
How Harder’s bills will unlock homeownership in the Valley:
- New Federal Housing Grants – Harder’s Increasing Housing in Opportunity Zones Act authorizes the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to give priority to Opportunity Zone communities when awarding competitive housing grants.
- Expanded Loan Financing for Affordable Housing – Harder’s Property Improvement and Manufactured Housing Loan Modernization Act increases limits on loans for manufactured homes and opens up new financing for ADUs, which offer families an early path to homeownership.
- More Housing Projects Finished Faster and Cheaper – The broader package also includes provisions to cut paperwork, speed up environmental reviews, and reduce costly bureaucracy that drives up housing costs.
“For too long, we've approached the housing crisis by treating the symptoms instead of addressing the underlying barriers that make housing so difficult and expensive to build,” said Peter Ragsdale, Executive Director of the Housing Authority County of San Joaquin. “The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is critical because it recognizes the need to produce more housing, reduce regulations that limit production, and invest in the communities that have been left behind. Congressman Harder’s legislation also expands financing for manufactured housing and other smaller housing options. There isn't a single solution to California's housing shortage. We need apartments, manufactured housing, and accessory dwelling units. Every housing type that provides quality, affordable, and desirable homes should be part of the solution.”
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