Most Americans want the federal government to address housing costs. Whether the ROAD to Housing Act becomes law depends on the president, who has so far refused to sign it.
Most Americans across party lines want the federal government to do something about housing costs. Whether Washington, D.C., can do that is another question.
Roughly four in five U.S. residents, or 79%, think there should be tax breaks for first-time homebuyers, and 77% say there should be policies to make housing more affordable, according to a Redfin survey of 4,000 U.S. adults conducted by Ipsos in May 2026.
Support persists across political affiliations. The survey found that 83% of Democrats believe we need more affordable housing policies, as do 74% of Republicans. 85% of Democrats support first-time buyer tax breaks, compared to 77% of Republicans.
Three-quarters of respondents support capping rent increases, 75% support efforts to build housing for low-income households, and 74% support down payment assistance programs.
Bills that fit the moment
These numbers are consistent with the widespread support behind the ROAD to Housing Act, which Congress passed on June 23. The legislation targets the national housing affordability crisis by increasing the supply of housing, streamlining the construction process, and expanding access to affordable homeownership, including through provisions that ease federal regulations and expand manufactured housing.
However, the bill has not yet been signed. The New York Times reported that President Trump canceled a signing ceremony scheduled for June 25 and said he would not enact the bill until the Senate passes an unrelated voter restriction bill. The Times reported that President Trump has said housing policy is “not important” even though members of his own party are pushing for it ahead of November’s midterm elections.
what happens next
House Speaker Mike Johnson announced Thursday that he would formally send the bill to President Trump after meeting with the president at the White House. The move begins a constitutionally mandated 10-day period, excluding Sundays, during which President Trump must sign the bill or veto it.
Darryl Fairweather | Redfin
If he takes neither action, it would pass without his signature, but legal questions remain about whether he can use a pocket veto during the legislative recess scheduled to begin on July 3, the Times reported.
“For more than a decade, the prevailing view was that housing was a local issue best left to city councils and mayors, but housing affordability has become a national crisis,” said Darryl Fairweather, chief economist at Redfin. “This bill passed the Senate Banking Committee 24-0, demonstrating that affordability is a top priority for Republicans and Democrats alike. The bill itself’s major accomplishment is that it uses solutions like zoning reform and permitting improvements to prove that government policy can improve people’s lives without spending a lot of money.”
Email Jesse Healy
