Breakthrough agreement in housing bill gives investors wins

Homes at a new development in Fontana, California, US, on Saturday, May 9, 2026. Kyle Grillot | Bloomberg | The U.S. House is poised to approve a bipartisan housing affordability bill Wednesday that would limit major investors from purchasing single-family homes while allowing them to build additional housing units. The measure is getting support from the White House after some last-minute changes struck a balance between the Senate version, which placed more restrictions on major investors owning homes, and the House version, which was seen as more friendly toward Wall Street. The legislation won the support of the rental, construction and housing industries by removing a requirement in the Senate-passed bill that would have forced major investors — defined as those owning 350 units or more — to sell any any units they built beyond the cap within a seven-year window. The housing affordability bill has ping-ponged several times between the House and the Senate. Both chambers approved their own version of the bill with strong bipartisan support earlier this year, but several provisions — including the ones overseeing investors in the housing market — have lead to inter-chamber disputes. It's not clear whether the revamped House bill will gain the needed 60 votes to pass in the Senate before advancing to the White House for Presiden t Donald Trump 's signature. Sen. …