Central South Dakota News

U.S. Senators Mike Rounds and Andy Kim have introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing the housing shortage in the United States. The proposed laws, titled the Unlocking Housing Supply Through Streamlined and Modernized Reviews Act and the Better Use of Intergovernmental & Local Development (BUILD) Housing Act, seek to streamline federal housing environmental review processes to increase housing production.

Senator Rounds stated, “Too often, Washington demands paperwork for the sake of paperwork. Many Department of Housing & Urban Development-funded activities have no real environmental impact, yet communities are forced to waste time and taxpayer dollars proving it.” He emphasized that this bureaucracy delays housing projects and increases costs. "I want everyone in America to be able to achieve the American dream of owning a home," he added.

Senator Kim highlighted the ongoing housing crisis, saying, "We have a housing crisis in this country and it’s holding too many back from achieving the American dream." He noted that these bills aim to build more homes faster and lower costs through bipartisan cooperation.

The legislation aims to modernize regulations where development costs are high and make construction more efficient. Despite South Dakota's affordability ranking, 18% of renters spend over half their income on rent. This legislation is supported by several organizations including Bipartisan Policy Center Action and Habitat for Humanity International.

In parallel efforts in the House, Representative Mike Flood and Representative Sam Liccardo are introducing companion legislation.