Bipartisan Letter Urges BTR Fix to Housing Bill
April 28, 2026
A bipartisan group of 76 House members from the Real Estate and the Build America Caucuses last week sent a letter urging changes to the build-to-rent (BTR) provisions of the Senate-passed 21st Century Road to Housing Act (H.R. 6644). Click here for the letter.
Why it matters: The bipartisan letter to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) bolsters ongoing efforts by House Financial Services Committee leadership to negotiate on the Senate’s housing bill.
- As we’ve previously covered, the Senate legislation would prohibit investors with more than 350 single-family homes from purchasing homes to rent.
- The legislation has several exemptions, including BTR, but it would require new construction BTR to be sold to consumers within seven years. The Wall Street Journal reports that BTR projects and financing are on pause.
- CREFC continues to urge changes to the BTR provision and several other definitions that could impact existing and future multifamily properties.
What they’re saying: The letter urges House leaders to strip or substantially revise provisions related to BTR in the single-family rental ban and lays out arguments against the current draft:
- Decrease Housing Supply: The letter cites an Urban Institute study that argues the provision could reduce new construction rental units by 72,000 annually.
- Destabilize Renters: The forced-sale provisions would require evictions and relocation of tenants.
- Harm to Middle-Class and Military: To the good, BTR communities add new neighborhoods and housing opportunities to families not yet ready to buy.
- Capital Restriction: The language could depress capital to rental housing and exacerbate the housing supply crisis.
The bottom line: The strong, bipartisan letter strengthens Speaker Johnson and Chairman French Hill’s (R-AR) position that the Senate needs to negotiate on the bill.
Contact David McCarthy (dmccarthy@crefc.org) with questions.