WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Curtis (R-UT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the Delivering Americans Affordable Homes Act, bipartisan legislation to address the shortage of affordable housing and funding shortfalls at the United States Postal Service (USPS). Amid record-breaking housing costs, the Senators’ new bill would allow local communities to lease Postal Service propertyrights for new affordable housing construction. At the same time, this legislation protects against the sale of Postal Service assets, supports the rehabilitation and new construction of Postal facilities, and eases the Postal Service’s critical financial constraints.
“Utah desperately needs more housing, and the Postal Service needs new sources of revenue; this commonsense legislation helps accomplish both,” said Senator Curtis. “By giving USPS the authority to lease underutilized property for housing development, we can put unused land to work, expand the housing supply, and strengthen an institution that millions of Americans rely on every day.”
“Far too many working Americans are faced with housing costs they simply cannot afford. At the same time, the Postal Service faces financial struggles that, if left unaddressed, will result in USPS running out of money to operate. With this legislation, we’re not only bringing new, affordable homes to communities across the country, we’re also working to shore up the Postal Service so that it can continue serving Americans for generations to come. It’s a win-win,” said Senator Van Hollen.
Background:
Currently, USPS owns about 8,500 properties around the United States, many of which are located in places suitable for housing construction and in areas with high housing demand. According to a recent analysis from Brookings, housing construction on postal property could build over 200,000 new homes and bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the Postal Service each year.
The Delivering Americans Affordable Homes Act would set guardrails on housing construction by USPS by allowing for the lease, but prohibiting the sale, of Postal Service property for housing construction and ensuring USPS maintains discretion over its real estate assets. The bill also requires housing units constructed on Postal Service property to include tenant affordability restrictions on at least 20% of units, among other provisions.
A one-page summary of this bill is available here, and the full text of the legislation is available here.
The legislation is supported by the Bipartisan Policy Center Action, Chamber of Progress, and Inclusive Abundance Action, among others.
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