SBE Council Statement of Support: “Housing for the 21st Century Act”

By SBE Council at 6 February, 2026, 12:06 pm

The following statement of support for the “Housing for the 21st Century Act” (H.R. 6644) can be attributed to Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE Council) President & CEO Karen Kerrigan:

“SBE Council applauds House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill, Ranking Member Maxine Waters, Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Chair Mike Flood, and Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance Ranking Member Emanuel Cleaver – as well as all contributors to legislation included within the ‘Housing for the 21st Century Act.’  The package offers meaningful solutions to bolster affordable housing, one of the most pressing and frustrating barriers facing workers and working families. For entrepreneurs and small businesses in both high-cost regions and ex-urban areas alike, housing affordability and availability is not only a quality-of-life issue, but a workforce and competitiveness challenge that affects hiring and retention. Moreover, small businesses in the housing sector stand ready to play a central role in delivering affordable housing choices but red tape and barriers make it difficult to compete and offer these needed choices. Reforms that reduce bureaucracy and artificial barriers will support these small businesses, with the cost savings and efficiencies filtering down to residents and homeowners.”

“’The Housing for the 21^st Century Act’ includes practical reforms that encourage increased housing supply by improving planning, reducing local barriers, promoting local flexibility, and supporting zoning and permitting modernization. The bill helps to strengthen the capacity of communities to implement housing strategies that expand choice and improve access to opportunity, including through location-efficient development and better connections to transportation.”

“By helping to expand the availability of affordable housing, the ‘Housing for the 21^st Century Act’ will help to reduce the burden many workers face regarding costly and longer commutes – both in time and money – providing them with more choices in both employment and where they want to live. The downstream effect will be positive for small business creation and growth, as affordable housing choices will support the efforts of local businesses in attracting and retaining workforce talent. Again, SBE Council appreciates the leadership of Chairman Hill in fostering bipartisan collaboration that has led to a meaningful package to enhance America’s housing stock and its affordability. We urge all House members to vote in favor of this sound package, which is an important step toward accelerating and increasing affordable housing and helping small businesses grow and operate more competitively.”

SBE Council is a nonpartisan advocacy, research and education organization dedicated to protecting small business and promoting entrepreneurship. For more than 30 years, SBE Council has advanced a range of private sector and public policy initiatives to strengthen the ecosystem for strong startup activity and small business growth.

Visit www.sbecouncil.org for additional information. X: @SBECouncil