Bipartisan housing bill aims to boost homeownership. Could it work?

A rare bipartisan bill passed in the Senate on Monday aims to make it easier and more affordable for Americans to buy a home by boosting the nation's housing supply. The "21st Century ROAD to Housing Act" would restrict institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, remove regulatory barriers to construction and take other steps to expand the availability of affordable housing. The measure now heads to the House for a final vote. President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law if it is approved. In a proclamation earlier this month, he urged Congress to pass the legislation, calling it "the most comprehensive and consequential housing legislation in the history of our country." Mr. Trump also pushed for a ban on institutional investors scooping up single-family homes during his January State of the Union address. Along with the limit on investor ownership, the ROAD Act would seek to boost housing supply by establishing pre-approved home designs, streamlining environmental reviews and encouraging zoning reforms to accelerate homebuilding. Another provision would create a grant program, the Innovation Fund, that awards $200 million a year for five years to localities with a track record of increasing housing supply. …