To amend the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 to authorize the sale of certain Federal land to States and units of local government to address housing shortages, and for other purposes.
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · October 24, 2023
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
The HOUSES Act of 2023 allows states and local governments to purchase federal land from the government to develop housing projects. Under the bill, states and localities can nominate underutilized federal lands for purchase to address housing shortages, but at least 85 percent of the nominated land must be used for residential development, green space, parks, or community facilities like schools and libraries, with residential density of at least four homes per acre. The purchase price is discounted based on the federal land's fair market value and local tax revenue the government would have collected if the land were privately owned. States and localities must comply with their approved development proposals for 15 years or risk losing eligibility for federal economic development and community development block grants. The bill excludes federally protected lands such as national parks, monuments, and wilderness areas, and establishes a one-year federal review timeline for land nominations, with automatic approval if the government fails to meet the deadline.
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