Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities (WALC) joined hundreds of housing organizations, advocacy groups, and industry stakeholders from across the country in supporting the amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act following its recent bipartisan passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The legislation focuses on increasing housing supply, improving affordability, and expanding housing choice through a variety of pro-housing provisions aimed at reducing barriers to housing production nationwide. WALC signed onto a national coalition letter supporting the legislation and highlighting the importance of policies that help create more homes and housing options in communities across the country.
WALC believes many of the broader goals reflected in the legislation align with ongoing housing conversations taking place throughout Utah around land use modernization, transit-oriented development, and expanding housing choice.
Read the full press release below.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 22, 2026
WALC Joins National Coalition Supporting Passage of Amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
SALT LAKE CITY, UT — Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities (WALC) joined housing organizations, policy advocates, industry groups, and community organizations from across the country in supporting the amended 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support.
WALC signed onto a national coalition letter urging Congress to advance the legislation, citing the urgent need to increase housing supply and expand housing options in communities across the country. The coalition letter is attached to this release.
The amended legislation includes several pro-housing provisions intended to support housing production, improve affordability, and remove barriers limiting new housing development nationwide. The updated House version also removed controversial language that would have required build-to-rent developments to sell properties within a limited timeframe — a provision many housing advocates and industry organizations argued could negatively impact housing production.
The legislation passed the House on May 20 with broad bipartisan support and now moves back to the Senate for further consideration.
While housing policy decisions are often made at the local and state level, WALC believes federal legislation focused on increasing housing supply can help support ongoing housing conversations taking place in Utah communities. Utah continues to face rising housing costs, limited housing inventory, and increasing demand for a broader range of housing options across communities of all sizes.
"America's housing affordability crisis is fundamentally a housing supply crisis,” said Lauren Cole, WALC’s Policy Manager. “Many of the broader goals reflected in the amended House bill align with conversations already taking place throughout Utah around land use modernization, transit-oriented development, and expanding housing choice. This bill represents important progress toward supporting the construction of more homes and improving affordability.”
The coalition letter included national organizations such as the American Planning Association, National Apartment Association, National Association of Home Builders, Smart Growth America, YIMBY Action, and UnidosUS, alongside hundreds of state and local organizations from across the country. WALC and Logan YIMBY were among the Utah organizations signed onto the letter.
The coalition letter described the amended legislation as “a historic step to increase housing supply, improve affordability, and broaden housing choice in communities across the country.”
About Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities (WALC)
Wasatch Advocates for Livable Communities champions community development in the Wasatch Region through programs and public policies focused on housing, land use, local governance, and transportation.
