Gregory Meeks (D-NY)
Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 1 Democratic cosponsor · See the cosponsor
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill establishes the "Habitable Housing Conversion Pilot Program Act of 2026." The program directs the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to carry out a pilot program to insure mortgages. These mortgages are intended to finance improvements for converting basement spaces in owner-occupied properties into safe and habitable dwelling units for rental. The program is set to run for a 5-year period and may insure up to 150,000 mortgages. The Secretary is required to consult with FEMA and NOAA to identify areas prone to hazards. Finally, the Secretary must submit a report to Congress at the end of the 5-year period to assess the program's success and problems.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +6
Does this make housing cost less?
The bill facilitates the conversion of basement spaces into rental units to increase housing supply.
- Scored +5
Would middle-income households be better off under this?
Homeowners can utilize mortgage insurance to finance basement conversions into rental income sources.
- Scored +4
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The program aims to increase the availability of rental units which may benefit low-income renters.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Creation of Rental Units: The program allows for the conversion of basement spaces into safe and habitable dwelling units that are available for rental (Section 2(a)).
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Hazard Preparedness: The Secretary may give priority to insuring mortgages for properties in areas identified as more likely to suffer hazards, based on consultation with FEMA and NOAA (Section 2(c)).
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Safety Standards: The bill requires that converted units meet all State and local building and safety standards and codes, and comply with Secretary regulations to ensure safety and habitability (Section 2(a) and Section 2(d)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Program Limitations: The pilot program is limited to a 5-year period and can insure no more than 150,000 mortgages (Section 2(b)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Homeowners can utilize mortgage insurance to finance basement conversions into rental income sources. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The program aims to increase the availability of rental units which may benefit low-income renters. Would people in cities be better off under this? — Increased rental supply through basement conversions is often most impactful in denser urban areas.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this make housing cost less? — The bill facilitates the conversion of basement spaces into rental units to increase housing supply. Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — Increasing the supply of rental units can help mitigate housing cost burdens for lower-income individuals.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — The bill requires consultation with FEMA to identify hazard-prone areas for priority mortgage insurance.
- 5/15/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Nydia VelázquezDemocrat · New York