U.S. Senator Mike Rounds announced on Mar. 12 that the Senate has passed the 21st Century Road to Housing Act, which includes several provisions he authored to address housing needs in South Dakota. The legislation, now moving to the House of Representatives, marks the first major update to the Rural Housing Service in over a decade and aims to streamline federal review processes and provide communities with more flexibility for local housing solutions.
The passage of this bill is significant for South Dakota, where access to affordable housing remains a pressing concern. According to the official website, Mike Rounds serves as U.S. Senator for South Dakota and represents the state in Congress according to the official website.
Rounds said, “Access to safe, affordable housing is essential to the strength of our communities and the future of South Dakota.” He added, “The 21st Century Road to Housing Act includes several of my bills that modernize rural housing programs and cut unnecessary red tape that slows housing development. These provisions will help expand our housing supply, especially in rural areas where the need is greatest. President Trump and Secretary Scott Turner have made it clear that increasing America’s housing supply is a national priority. This legislation is an important step toward making housing more accessible and affordable for families across South Dakota and the country.”
Key components authored by Rounds include reforms to federal rural housing programs through modernization efforts such as updating income calculations, streamlining foreclosure processes, investing in technology upgrades, easing access to home repair loans, expanding eligibility for loan guarantees, and decoupling rental assistance from expiring mortgages. These changes are expected to help preserve stable housing for about 400,000 rural families nationwide.
Other measures incorporated into the act focus on modernizing environmental review processes under NEPA for Department of Housing and Urban Development-funded projects and enhancing cooperation between HUD and state or local governments. The comprehensive proposal also seeks to remove regulatory barriers, promote innovative construction methods, address blight issues, support disaster recovery efforts, improve affordability and homeownership opportunities, reduce homelessness, increase veteran access to housing programs, strengthen program integrity through evidence-based policies and oversight measures.
Rounds holds membership on committees such as Appropriations and Armed Services according to his official website. He joined the U.S. Senate on Jan. 6, 2015 according to his official website, with offices located throughout South Dakota—in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen—as well as Washington D.C., according to his official website.
As lawmakers look ahead toward final passage in the House of Representatives, supporters say these reforms could have lasting impacts on both rural communities in South Dakota and across America.
