Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senator Mike Rounds, alongside Senators Cynthia Lummis, John Fetterman, and Tina Smith, has reintroduced the Whole-Home Repairs Act. This legislation aims to address the housing crisis by providing essential home repair assistance to low-and-moderate-income homeowners and local landlords.

The act seeks to expand a successful state-level program to a federal scale through a five-year pilot initiative. It will offer grants and forgivable loans for property repairs and weatherization. Additionally, it supports training and pre-apprenticeship programs to create jobs and build a skilled workforce.

Senator Rounds stated, “The Whole-Home Repairs Act will not only provide an opportunity to assist homeowners, but it will also establish a new standard for how federal programs can operate more efficiently.” He emphasized the importance of maintaining existing housing stock, especially in rural areas where new development is costly.

Senator Lummis highlighted challenges faced by low-income families in her state due to bureaucratic hurdles when applying for federal home repair grants.

Senator Fetterman noted that last year they brought an idea from Pennsylvania to the national stage and are now back to complete the task. “Millions of families are living in homes that are unsafe, unhealthy, or unlivable because they can’t afford repairs,” he said.

Senator Smith added that without safe housing, other aspects of life suffer. She expressed pride in cosponsoring the bill which addresses the housing crisis one home at a time.

An estimated 6.7 million Americans live in homes with serious deficiencies such as leaking roofs or faulty wiring. The Whole-Home Repairs Act aims to tackle these issues and prevent the loss of livable housing units due to deterioration.

The legislation has received support from various housing advocates and organizations including Habitat for Humanity International and the National Association of REALTORS.