Rep. Shontel Brown of Ohio has introduced a House Resolution calling for urgent, coordinated federal action to address the nation’s housing crisis by preserving and expanding access to affordable housing. Rep. Brown’s Housing Crisis Resolution is co-led by Rep. Joyce Beatty of Ohio, a senior member of the House Committee on Financial Services.
The Resolution outlines the need to address the housing crisis nationally, and calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing it, including:
- Expanding and preserving affordable housing units;
- Strengthening federal rental assistance programs;
- Promoting equitable zoning and infrastructure alignment; and
- Partnering across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors to protect tenants and spur innovation.
“In Northeast Ohio and across America, our housing crisis is pricing families out of stability. It’s harder than ever to find a place to live, pay the bills, keep our families safe and secure, and build wealth,” said Rep. Brown. “Housing isn’t just having a roof over your head—it is the foundation for safety, security, and opportunity. This crisis is hitting families in every corner of the country, and it’s widening the wealth and racial gaps we’ve been trying to close for generations. I am proud to introduce this resolution with Congresswoman Beatty because it is time that we put the House of Representatives on record on this important issue. The housing crisis is impacting every congressional district, and we need a coordinated federal response.”
The nation faces an estimated shortage of more than seven million affordable homes for extremely low-income renters, and more than 12 million spend in excess of 50% of their income on rent. Since 2020, rents have increased by more than 35%, while median incomes have not kept pace, fueling record-high homelessness and housing instability.
In a breakdown of demographics, Black households are substantially less likely to own a home than white households—44% homeownership rate for Blacks versus 72% for whites—and the Black homeownership rate remains lower than in the year 2000, reports the Urban Institute. When interest rates reached historic lows during the pandemic, more Black households bought homes. The Urban Institute reports that in 2022, mortgage originations to Black households dropped more than 16%, and the Black mortgage denial rate increased by 2.6 percentage points. The increase in Black applicants’ denial rate was larger than the increases for white applicants and all applicants (1.4 and 2.0 percentage points, respectively). More than 24% of Black families who applied for home purchase loans were denied in 2022, compared with 11% of white applicants.
Pushing homeownership out of reach for many is the current rate environment hovering near the 7% mark, as Freddie Mac reports the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) at 6.84% as of June 12, 2025, down slightly from last week when it averaged 6.85%. A year ago at this time, the 30-year FRM was close and averaged 6.95%. And according to Zillow, the average U.S. home value is $367,969, up 0.8% over the past year.
“Housing is a human right, full stop,” added Rep. Beatty. “The nation’s ongoing affordable housing shortage hits low-income and minority communities the hardest, making it virtually impossible for millions of families to stay healthy, pursue higher education, maintain steady employment, or achieve financial stability. This resolution recognizes the urgency of addressing the housing crisis in America and affirms a commitment to advancing federal legislation to support rental assistance and housing development so that every American family has a safe, affordable place to call home.”
Rep. Brown’s resolution is endorsed by the National Affordable Housing Management Association, the Fair Housing Center for Rights and Research, Northwest Neighbohoods, Providence House, University Settlement, and Loretta’s Helping Hands.
Click here to read the full text of Rep. Brown’s House Resolution.
