Pro-housing coalition urges Senate to pass BAAJA permitting reforms

A coalition of national housing organizations, homebuilders, and 58 local pro-housing groups is urging Senate leaders to pass the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), according to HousingWire.

The coalition argues that BAAJA's permitting reforms could significantly reduce timelines and costs for federally supported housing projects, particularly affordable and multifamily developments.

Currently, federally assisted housing projects face National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) reviews that often cause delays of a year or more, the coalition noted in a letter to Senate committee leaders.

BAAJA would mainly impact front-end approvals for developers and public housing agencies relying on layered federal funds, potentially improving project feasibility and reducing soft costs by shortening review periods.

The coalition includes national trade groups, think tanks, and local 'Yes In My Backyard' (YIMBY) organizations from across the country, all backing the housing provisions in the Senate's bipartisan permitting reform package.