Removing Regulatory Barriers To Affordable Home Construction

Rising housing costs and restrictive rules have made homeownership harder for many Americans. This order directs federal agencies to remove barriers and speed up the development of a broader range of homes.

What the order does ​

• Directs Army Corps, EPA, and others to revise water and stormwater rules to lower housing costs and streamline permits.
• Orders key federal agencies to eliminate burdensome rules holding back residential construction and affordable housing programs.
• Calls for review and possible rollback of costly energy and water efficiency requirements for new and manufactured homes.
• Requires new guidance to reduce or exempt housing projects from environmental and historic preservation review hurdles.
• Instructs HUD to publish best practices for states and cities—like capping permitting times, limiting retroactive code changes, allowing more by-right development, and easing restrictions on manufactured homes.
• Mandates revision of federal grants, guidance, and support to encourage these best practices.
• Directs evaluation and coordination of federal tax incentives (Opportunity Zones, New Markets Tax Credit) to boost investment in single-family home construction.

Who it affects ​

• Home builders and developers.
• Prospective homebuyers, especially first-time buyers.
• State and local governments.
• Federal agencies regulating housing, environment, and infrastructure.

Context ​

This order emphasizes cutting red tape at every level to make building and buying a home easier, especially outside major urban centers.