ROAD to Housing Act becomes law, without Trump’s signature

After months of congressional gridlock, political jockeying, gradual progress and hard compromises, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is officially law.

The mammoth bipartisan package, which broadly seeks to modernize federal housing programs, improve affordability and increase housing supply, passed in the House of Representatives in late June by a 358-32 margin and in the Senate by a vote of 85-5.

The only question that remained was whether or not President Donald Trump would put pen to paper and add his instantly recognizable signature to the historic legislation.

Trump announced his decision in an early morning social media post on Friday, writing that he would not sign the bill as a protest over Senate Republicans failing to corral enough votes to pass the unrelated SAVE America Act. That controversial bill, a top priority of the president’s, would require voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote and photo ID at the polls for federal elections.

U.S. presidents have 10 days, excluding Sundays, to sign or veto legislation after it is delivered to their desk. If that 10-day period elapses with no action while Congress is in session, the bill automatically becomes law. In the case of the ROAD to Housing Act, the clock expired at 12 a.m. EDT on Saturday.

In the end, there was no Oval Office ceremony, no smiling handshakes, no commemorative pen or photo for posterity. But the bill is now law nonetheless, and now the various stakeholders of the housing and mortgage industries can get to work implementing its myriad provisions.

“BREAKING: the clock struck midnight and our bipartisan housing bill is now law,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., posted on X as soon as the midnight hour passed. “Trump refused to sign it, but he couldn’t stop it. This law is GROUNDBREAKING. It will build more housing, bring down costs, and for the first time, stop private equity from buying up homes.”

Kimber White, president of the National Association of Mortgage Brokers (NAMB), said his group is thrilled to see the bill finally become law.

“This legislation reflects years of collaboration, advocacy and dedication from policymakers, housing leaders and industry professionals within NAMB who recognize the importance of creating a stronger, more accessible housing market for all Americans,” White said in a statement sent to Scotsman Guide in the wee hours of the morning on the East Coast.

“The collaborative effort that brought this legislation across the finish line demonstrates what can be accomplished when policymakers and industry stakeholders work together toward a common goal,” he added.

Dennis Shea, executive vice president and chair of the Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy at the Bipartisan Policy Center, said the enactment of the bill into law is “a genuine milestone — and I don’t use that word lightly.”

Shea added that “this moment calls for urgency as much as celebration,” saying his bipartisan think tank will be “watching closely, pushing for what’s next, and working hard to increase supply and lower housing costs.”