21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Aims to Boost Homeownership
ATLANTA — In a collaborative effort to address housing issues, U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, alongside other Democratic officials, gathered in southwest Atlanta to discuss the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. This new federal law is designed to provide hope for renters aspiring to become homeowners.
Signed into law at midnight last Friday, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act became effective without President Donald Trump’s signature due to his protest over an unrelated bill. The legislation seeks to incentivize local communities to increase construction while limiting corporate ownership of rental properties, a concern stemming from the Great Recession.
Warnock emphasized the difficulty for average workers to compete against large financial entities when purchasing a home, noting, “They will outbid you every time. So, this is about fairness.” He further stated that Atlanta is a significant area impacted by private equity’s influence in the housing market.
The property behind Warnock, ideally owned by individuals rather than corporations, is listed under a company from Scottsdale, Arizona, in Fulton County property records. This company shares a mailing address with Invitation Homes, known for controversies highlighted by U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff last summer.
During an event held by Ossoff, renters shared grievances about conditions at Invitation Homes’ properties. Complaints included hazardous debris and gas leaks, with renters feeling undervalued, stating, “We’re not humans to them. We’re dollar signs.”
In response, an Invitation Homes spokesperson mentioned having over 200 associates in the state to handle such issues but did not specifically address the renters’ complaints.
Warnock pointed out that large investors control a quarter of Atlanta’s single-family rental homes, a figure corroborated by other reports. While Atlanta sees significant corporate ownership, these entities hold just 3% of all single-family homes in the area, according to research by The Pew Charitable Trusts, which advocates for increased housing construction.
Amendments shaped by Warnock in the new law aim to promote home construction by altering federal housing grant formulas to encourage denser developments and faster permitting processes. Dickens highlighted the law’s potential to facilitate the construction of starter homes and support zoning for multifamily units.
“This is just enabling us to get more out of the land,” Dickens said, joined by City Councilmember Andrea Boone. Warnock described the legislation as a critical initial step, stressing the need for bipartisan collaboration to address the ongoing housing affordability crisis.
Warnock acknowledged the scale of the challenge, with analysts estimating a shortage of 4 to 5 million homes nationwide. “This is an important step today in the right direction,” he remarked. “But this is not the end. There’s more legislation that we need to do.”
