Housing for the 21st Century Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman, my good friend from Arkansas, for yielding me time today.

Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of the Housing for the 21st Century Act.

This legislation will lower housing costs for millions of Americans, including tens of thousands of Tennessee families whom I represent.

I am proud that my bipartisan bill, the Housing Supply Expansion Act of 2025, was included in the Housing for the 21st Century Act. My bill removes an outdated Federal chassis requirement that has stifled manufactured housing construction for decades.

When we hear the term ``manufactured home,'' many people still think ``mobile home.'' That is because Federal law has forced us to adhere to a permanent chassis requirement. Since 1974, manufactured homes have had to be built on a permanently installed steel chassis, even after the home is placed on a site, never to be moved again.

This bill will give millions of Americans a path to homeownership without going over budget. It will provide young and low-income families with the opportunity to build equity instead of being locked into rising rents year after year.

You don't have to be a trained economist to understand why home prices and rental rates have skyrocketed. Demand continues to outpace supply in our cities, suburbs, and even in many rural communities across this country.

The simple truth is that we need more homes. This bill takes meaningful steps toward making that happen. We are reducing unnecessary regulatory barriers, removing financing roadblocks, and modernizing HUD programs.

Municipalities across the country have restricted or outright banned homes built on permanent steel chassis. The result has been less construction, higher costs, and fewer opportunities for working families to own where they live.

Yet, manufactured housing is one of the most effective ways to expand housing supply quickly and affordably. By removing this outdated Federal restriction, more homes will be built, and ultimately prices will come down for everyone.

The experts in the manufactured housing space tell us that allowing manufacturers to design a single-family home without a permanent chassis will bring about modern low-profile builds, multistory construction, and urban-friendly designs. It will also improve efficiency and eliminate unnecessary steel, waste, and cost.

We cannot sit by while 50-year-old policies prevent folks from signing on the dotted line. Imagine if the Federal Government had mandated that every vehicle coming off of Henry Ford's assembly line had to remain permanently attached to a trailer in order to be owned. We all know that didn't happen because the trailer was a means of transportation, not a permanent feature.

Housing should work the same way. There is a reason why this bill has so much bipartisan support.

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Mr. ROSE. Mr. Speaker, it includes commonsense solutions for building more homes, lowering costs, and giving more Americans dignity and stability.

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