US President Donald Trump on Wednesday canceled signing a bipartisan housing bill designed to accelerate construction of affordable homes, saying he would not move forward until Congress passes the Save America Act, which he described as a national emergency. The decision capped a rare legislative victory supported by both Republicans and Democrats, despite the measure having already passed both houses of Congress by overwhelming margins.“Today’s housing news conference and signing is canceled until we pass the desperately needed Save America Act, which I consider a national emergency,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Proponents argue that these measures could help ease the nationwide affordable housing shortage, which industry groups estimate at millions of homes.
The legislation was set to be signed into law after garnering broad bipartisan support in Washington. After passing 85-5 in the Senate on Monday, the House of Representatives approved the bill by a 358-32 vote on Tuesday. Such levels of cross-party support have become increasingly unusual in a deeply polarized Congress.This bill seeks to address the United States’ housing affordability crisis by removing certain regulatory barriers to residential development. Its key provisions include waiving or expediting environmental reviews for housing projects and limiting the number of existing single-family homes that big Wall Street investors can own.Proponents argue that these measures could help ease the nationwide affordable housing shortage, which industry groups estimate at millions of homes.The debate comes as housing costs remain a major concern for American voters. Rising prices, higher mortgage rates and frequent supply chain disruptions have made homeownership difficult for many families. Inflation, which has increased significantly during Trump’s second term, remains one of the public’s top economic concerns.Signs of renewed interest in home ownership have also emerged. A survey released Tuesday found that, for the first time since 2023, more Americans said they would prefer to buy a home rather than rent or live with family members.Despite strong bipartisan support and growing pressure to address affordability challenges across the country, Trump’s decision leaves the future of housing legislation uncertain.