Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia Passes Bill Out of Committee to Study Ways to Lower Housing Costs and Expand Homeownership
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia (D-TX-29) scored a win for housing affordability this week as a key provision she authored advanced out of the House Financial Services Committee as part of a broader housing package. The “Housing for the 21st Century Act” includes a provision modeled after Congresswoman Garcia’s bill to study whether a uniform federal residential building standard can cut construction costs, speed up homebuilding, and take a real step toward tackling the housing crisis.
The Affordable Housing Through Common-Sense Standards Act directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a one-year, independent study examining whether a more uniform approach to residential building standards could reduce construction delays, lower costs, and increase the supply of safe, affordable housing.
“Homeownership is still one of the best paths to building wealth for working families, but rising costs and delays are pushing affordable housing out of reach,” said Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia. “Working Americans don’t need excuses; they need lower housing costs. This provision takes a hard look at whether smarter and more consistent building standards can cut red tape, reduce construction costs, and help communities build homes faster. Congress needs the facts to act, and this study will deliver them. “
The United States does not have a single federal residential building code. Instead, states and cities set their own rules, often based on model codes like the International Residential Code, with local changes layered on top. While flexibility is important, inconsistent standards can slow approvals, increase costs, and limit supply. The costs from the extended process are often passed on to families.
This legislation does not impose a new federal mandate. It simply requires an independent review on whether a federal uniform residential building code could cut costs and increase the affordable housing supply in the United States.
The study will examine whether federal residential building standards could:
- Shorten approval timelines for new housing
- Lower construction costs
- Improve the quality and affordability of available homes.
According to the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies, 22.6 million renter households now spend more than 30 percent of their income on housing. Home prices are up 60 percent since 2019, and the typical first-time homebuyer now faces monthly payments above $2,500. Builders report that tariffs on construction materials alone add nearly $11,000 to the cost of a new home.
Even in Houston and Harris County, a region with a reputation for relatively lower housing costs, affordability challenges are growing. A 2025 report from Rice University’s Kinder Institute for Urban Research shows that Houston households face an average homeownership affordability gap of nearly $176,000, while Harris County households face a gap of almost $130,000. Rising rents added roughly 15,000 new cost-burdened renter households in Harris County in just one year. Climate risks and increasing insurance costs are adding further strain.
The study's findings will provide Congress with clear, independent data to guide future housing policy.
Read the bill text HERE.