The ROAD to Housing Act became law on July 11, 2026, but most of what it offers a household buyer is not usable yet. Here is what works now and what waits.
Published October 2026. Sources checked October 6, 2026.
| Figure | What it is | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 11, 2026 | Became law without the President’s signature, as Public Law 119-101 | [S3][S4] |
| 85-5 | Senate vote, June 22, 2026; the House agreed 358-32 on June 23 | [S1][S2] |
| $75,000 | Title I single-family improvement limit in the statute; HUD’s rules still say $25,000 | [S8][S11] |
| Up to 30 years | The Title I term HUD may set: a ceiling, not a promise | [S8] |
| $100,000 | or less: mortgages an optional FHA pilot would cover | [S12] |
| 350 | homes or more: investors this size cannot buy 1-2 unit homes from January 7, 2027 | [S14] |
| July 11, 2027 | Most state chassis certifications due; last day to set up the pilot | [S6][S12] |
Use it now, or wait
Most provisions that touch a household buyer wait on HUD, a state or a start date.
| Provision | What the law says | Usable today? | What must happen first |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chassis (Sec. 301) | A manufactured home can be built with or without a permanent chassis[S5] | No change to your loan yet | State certifications by July 11, 2027 or 2028[S6]; lender guides update[S7] |
| Title I manufactured-home limits (Sec. 303) | $106,405 single-section, $195,322 multi-section[S8] | Lenders use HUD’s 2024 limits, less than 1% lower[S9] | A HUD notice[S10] |
| Title I home improvement (Sec. 303) | $75,000 for a single-family home; $150,000 for two or more families[S8] | No: HUD’s rules still say $25,000 and $60,000[S11] | A HUD notice and updated rules |
| Title I ADU construction (Sec. 303) | An eligible use; amount set by HUD[S8] | No | HUD sets an amount; lenders offer it |
| Title I loan term (Sec. 303) | Set by HUD, up to 30 years[S8] | No new term set | HUD action |
| Small-loan FHA pilot (Sec. 105) | HUD may create one for mortgages of $100,000 or less[S12] | No: none announced[S10] | HUD chooses to act, by July 11, 2027 |
| HOME homebuyer limits (Sec. 501) | Income up to 100% of area median; price up to 110% of the area median[S13] | Depends on your local program | HUD guidance and local plan changes |
| Investor ban (Sec. 1001) | Investors with 350 or more homes cannot buy 1-2 unit homes[S14] | Starts January 7, 2027 | The start date |
On the calendar
Most of the Act arrives in steps over three years, and some steps have no date at all.
ROAD to Housing Act: what is usable now and what is on the calendar
Manufactured homes: the chassis change
A manufactured home can now be “built with or without a permanent chassis”[S5], but nothing changes on day one for a buyer’s loan.
| Step | Where it stands | Source |
|---|---|---|
| States certify | By July 11, 2027 (two years where legislatures meet every two years), equal treatment for financing, title, insurance, taxes and installation | [S6] |
| States that do not | Must prohibit the manufacture, installation or sale of these homes | [S6] |
| Fannie Mae | Its February 4, 2026 guide still requires a permanent chassis | [S7] |
| Upper-floor sections | HUD’s June 12, 2026 proposal to drop their chassis: no final rule yet | [S16] |
| Frameless homes | HUD’s September 22-24, 2026 showcase featured Cavco’s Grande Arbor, which Cavco calls the first frameless HUD-code home | [S17] |
| Energy standards | DOE said on September 18, 2026 its 2022 rule has no legal effect; HUD must set its own within a year | [S15] |
FHA Title I: new limits on paper, old limits in practice
Title I, FHA’s program for home improvement and manufactured-home loans, has new limits in the statute[S8], but no HUD notice yet puts them into effect[S10].
| Loan purpose | In the statute now | What HUD’s current limits or rules show |
|---|---|---|
| Single-section manufactured home | $106,405 | $105,532 |
| Multi-section manufactured home | $195,322 | $193,719 |
| Single-section home plus lot | $149,782 | $148,909 |
| Multi-section home plus lot | $238,699 | $237,096 |
| Lot only | $43,377 | $43,377 |
| Improvements, single-family home | $75,000 | $25,000 |
| Improvements, building for two or more families | $150,000 | $60,000 |
| Building an ADU | An amount HUD prescribes | None set |
- Manufactured homes: under 1% above HUD’s limits for case numbers from March 29, 2024 (our arithmetic)[S9].
- Every year: HUD resets the limits by notice[S8].
- Now: plan around current limits; ask a lender that offers Title I.
ADUs: a new use for Title I, not a loan yet
Building an ADU is now an eligible Title I use[S8], but HUD has set no amount, so no lender can offer it yet[S10].
| Other ADU changes | What changed | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Fannie Mae, December 2025 | Up to three ADUs on a one-unit property where zoning allows; one on a two- or three-unit property; one with a single-wide manufactured home | Reported by Scotsman Guide[S18] |
| Same update | Opened manufactured 2-4 unit properties | Reported by the Manufactured Housing Institute[S19] |
| USDA, March 31, 2026 | Homes with ADUs as an eligible Section 502 guaranteed loan purpose | Proposed rule; check its status[S20] |
Loans of $100,000 or less: a pilot HUD may create
Section 105 says HUD “may establish a pilot program” for FHA mortgages of $100,000 or less[S12]; none was announced by October 6, 2026[S10].
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What homes? | 1- to 4-unit homes the borrower lives in, so a low-priced duplex you live in fits | [S12] |
| What could it do? | Payments to lenders, FHA rule changes, borrower help, outreach and lender training (CRS); help can include down payment and closing-cost grants | [S3][S12] |
| By when? | Set up by July 11, 2027; none may start after July 11, 2029; each ends 4 years after it starts | [S12] |
| Anything sooner? | Two CFPB small-loan reports due April 7, 2027, per CRS: studies, not rules | [S3] |
HOME: wider eligibility, set locally
Section 501 widens who HOME, a HUD grant program run by states and cities, can help buy a home[S13].
| HOME homebuyer limit | Before | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Family income | 80% of area median | 100% of area median |
| Home price | 95% of area median price | 110% of area median price |
The investor ban, and what it leaves out
From January 7, 2027, an investor controlling 350 or more single-family homes may not buy another, with exceptions such as build-to-rent[S14].
Inside the ban
What the law does not do
It appropriates no money, and it leaves tiny homes, chattel loans and local zoning where they were[S12][S3].
- No money: Section 1202 is titled “No additional funds authorized”[S12]; a Bipartisan Policy Center official told HousingWire many programs may wait until fiscal 2028 at the earliest[S21].
- No new programs: no tiny-home or national down payment program in CRS’s summary[S3]; the under-320-square-foot exception was already law[S5].
- No chassis-free homes everywhere yet: states certify first[S6].
- No chattel-to-mortgage switch: state law still decides, in our reading[S6].
- No zoning override: ADU reforms sit in best-practice guidelines, not mandates[S12].
What this means for each path
For most paths the Act changes little today.
| Path | What changes for you now |
|---|---|
| House hacking a 2-4 unit building | The optional pilot would cover 1-4 units you live in; 3-4 unit buildings sit outside the ban[S12][S14]. Use the house hacking calculator and library. |
| Renting out a room | Nothing: no rooms or boarders provision in CRS’s summary[S3]. |
| ADUs | The Title I use is not here yet[S10]. |
| Manufactured homes | Watch your state’s certification[S6] and HUD’s Title I notice[S10]. |
| Tiny homes | Nothing new[S3]. |
| Co-buying and shared equity | HOME now names land trusts, limited-equity co-ops and shared equity[S13]. |
| A vehicle or another short-term arrangement | Wider HOME limits may widen local down payment help[S13]; see the 83-metro survey. |
Deeper reads on the Act
Four posts go deeper on single provisions.
- The chassis rule and manufactured homes
- Adding an ADU after the ROAD Act
- The small mortgage problem
- The investor ban and duplexes
Get one email when HUD sets the new Title I loan limits. Free. Nothing else unless you ask.
Next step: compare paths on the Creative Housing hub, then run your numbers in the manufactured-home or ADU mode of the housing path check. For a 2-4 unit building, use the house hacking calculator.
Common questions
Can I get a $75,000 FHA Title I improvement loan today?
Not yet: HUD’s rules still show $25,000 as of October 1, 2026[S11]. See Title I limits.
Does the chassis change make a manufactured home easier to finance today?
Not on day one; lenders and states must act first[S7][S6]. See the chassis change.
Does the investor ban affect a triplex or fourplex?
No: it covers buildings with 2 or fewer units[S14]. See the investor ban.
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Sources
- Roll Call Vote 119th Congress, 2nd Session, Vote 182, U.S. Senate, June 22, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the 85-5 Senate vote.
- Roll Call 224, Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives, June 23, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the 358-32 House vote.
- CRS Report R49354 on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, Congressional Research Service, September 17, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the law took effect without the President’s signature and appropriates no funding; its summary describes no tiny-home, rooms or new down payment program; study deadlines.
- Public Law 119-101 (21st Century ROAD to Housing Act), details, U.S. Government Publishing Office, approved July 11, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the enactment date, public law number and 140 Stat. 846.
- 42 U.S.C. 5402, Definitions, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-101 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the manufactured-home definition now covers homes built with or without a permanent chassis.
- 42 U.S.C. 5403, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-101 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: state parity certification within 1 year (2 years for biennial legislatures) and the prohibition if a state does not certify.
- Selling Guide B2-3-02: Factory-Built Housing, Fannie Mae, February 4, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: a manufactured home must still be built on a permanent chassis to be eligible.
- 12 U.S.C. 1703, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-101 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the new Title I limits, ADU construction as an eligible use, annual indexing by notice and a term set by HUD up to 30 years.
- FHA INFO 2024-08, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, March 18, 2024 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the Title I manufactured-home limits in use since March 29, 2024.
- Federal Register search for “21st Century ROAD to Housing”, Federal Register, searched October 6, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: no HUD notice yet on Title I limits, the ADU amount, the small-dollar pilot or chassis certification.
- 24 CFR 201.10, Electronic Code of Federal Regulations, current as of October 1, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: HUD’s rules still show $25,000 and $60,000 for property improvement loans.
- Public Law 119-101, text, U.S. Government Publishing Office, July 11, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: Section 105 (small-dollar FHA pilot) and Section 107 (housing supply guidelines).
- 42 U.S.C. 12745, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-101 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: HOME homebuyer limits of 100% of area median income and 110% of the area median price, and the shared-equity language.
- 42 U.S.C. 19521, Office of the Law Revision Counsel, current through Public Law 119-101 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the 350-home investor ban from January 7, 2027, its 2-unit definition, the manufactured-home exclusion and the no-forced-sale rule.
- Energy Conservation Program: Energy Conservation Standards for Manufactured Housing, U.S. Department of Energy, Federal Register, September 18, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: DOE’s notice that its 2022 manufactured-housing energy rule has no legal effect, and HUD’s 1-year energy-standard duty.
- Revising the Definition of “Manufactured Home” to Lower Housing Costs (proposed rule), HUD, Federal Register, June 12, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: HUD’s proposal that an upper-floor section need not be built on a permanent chassis.
- HUD-NO-26-070, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, September 25, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the September 22-24, 2026 Innovative Housing Showcase and the Grande Arbor, described as the first frameless HUD-code home in a Cavco post the release quotes.
- Fannie Mae overhauls renovation lending, expands ADU eligibility, Scotsman Guide, December 11, 2025 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: up to three ADUs on a one-unit property, one ADU on two- or three-unit properties, and ADUs with single-wide manufactured homes (as reported).
- Fannie Mae Expands Eligibility for Manufactured Homes and ADUs, Manufactured Housing Institute, article on the December 10, 2025 update (SEL-2025-10) (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: the December 2025 update opened manufactured 2-4 unit properties and changed ADU rules (as reported).
- Rural Housing Service proposed rule on accessory dwelling units, USDA, Federal Register, March 31, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: USDA’s proposal to treat homes with one or more ADUs as an eligible Section 502 guaranteed loan purpose.
- Putting the ROAD Act into action faces a funding and HUD gauntlet, HousingWire, September 11, 2026 (accessed October 6, 2026). Supports: a Bipartisan Policy Center official’s view that many programs may not be funded until fiscal 2028 at the earliest.