Advocacy Results for Rental Housing

The Big Picture  

It was a season of change in Washington, D.C., in 2025. The 2024 elections ushered in the first Republican trifecta – control of the White House and both chambers of the U.S. Congress – in seven years, defined by a vastly different set of policy priorities than the previous administration. From the start, the National Apartment Association (NAA) diligently worked to build relationships with key staff in the White House, members of Congress and new federal agency leaders to advance the rental housing industry’s priorities.  

Thanks to the record-setting participation of housing providers from across the country, 2025 is defined by its decisive wins for rental housing. From 16 deregulatory victories and a new, pro-housing federal tax law to the largest housing package to pass out of the U.S. Senate in decades, NAA continues to transform the advocacy investment of its members into a stronger, more resilient industry.  

Here are some key accomplishments and important trends to monitor as we enter 2026. For a deeper dive, visit naahq.org/advocacy/wins.  

Congress Acts on Housing  

Two primary focus areas defined the industry’s advocacy work in 2025 on Capitol Hill: Comprehensive tax reform and sustainable, actionable policies to ease housing affordability challenges. This year saw record progress on both fronts.  

Federal Tax Law  

In March, more than 800 rental housing professionals – including 224 first-time attendees – gathered for Advocate, NAA’s annual advocacy conference and Lobby Day. Across more than 270 meetings with Congressional policymakers in just one day, NAA members voiced their local perspectives on the importance of tax policies that support housing and encourage the development of new, critically needed supply.  

And their voices were heard. On July 4, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), a new law that includes key housing-related tax priorities that will help boost long-term affordability, increase supply and protect the nation’s rental housing infrastructure.   

The tax law does:  

• Make the 20% 199A deduction for pass-through entities permanent;  
• Enhance and improve the Low-income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC);  
• Extend and expand Opportunity Zones, making them permanent; and  
• Increase the estate tax exemption.  

Congress resisted calls to impose costly “pay fors.” The tax law does not:  

• Change the capital gains treatment of a carried interest;  
• Reduce the deductibility of business State and Local Property Taxes (SALT);  
• Increase individual marginal rates; and  
• Penalize inbound investment by foreign-owned companies or individuals.    

Reintroduced Priorities  

Within just the first few months of the 119th Congress, NAA worked diligently to successfully partner with lawmakers in Congress to secure the reintroduction of important, long-term priority bills for the industry.  

• The Respect State Housing Laws Act (S. 470/H.R. 1078) would eliminate any ambiguity that the CARES Act 30-day notice to vacate requirement ended in 2020, as Congress intended;  
• The Choice in Affordable Housing Act (S. 890 and H.R. 1981) would provide critically needed reforms to cut red tape and streamline the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program.  
•  The Identifying Regulatory Barriers to Housing Supply Act (S. 2416 and H.R. 4659) – formerly known as the Yes In My Backyard (YIMBY) Act – would reduce local barriers to housing development and address the nation’s ongoing affordability crisis.  

Senate Housing Package  

In October, the U.S. Senate passed the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act (ROAD to Housing Act) as a part of the National Defense Authorization Act. The ROAD to Housing Act represents the largest housing package in generations, featuring 40 total sections – each of which cite at least one piece of proposed housing legislation. NAA and industry coalition partners continue to support this legislation, which includes a number of rental housing priorities.  

• Sec. 203 – Housing Supply Frameworks Act 
• Sec. 210 – Accelerating Home Building Act  
• Sec. 211 – Build More Housing Near Transit Act 
• Sec. 405 – Choice in Affordable Housing Act   
• Sec. 502 – HOME Investment Partnerships Reauthorization and Improvement Act   

Regulatory Focus  

While often well-intentioned, industry regulations come with a costly price tag for both renters and rental housing providers alike. In 2025, NAA and the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) sent a letter to the White House requesting a thorough review of 32 separate federal programs, rules and regulations at 10 different agencies – the ultimate goal: Increase housing supply, lower costs and improve housing affordability. The following are highlights of more than 15 key deregulatory wins achieved for the industry throughout late 2024 and all of 2025.  

1. The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (The Enterprises) eliminated enforcement of the CARES Act notice requirement for covered housing.  
2. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reduced mortgage insurance premiums to 0.25% through the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).  
3. FHFA rescinded three new federal landlord-tenant requirements for Enterprise-backed housing.  
4. HUD and the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced a Joint Task Force on Federal Land for Housing.
5. HUD rescinded the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule.  
6. HUD rescinded a proposed rule on criminal screening.  
7. FinCEN’s drastically reduced the scope for Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) reporting.  
8. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a plan to revisit the definition of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS).  
9. The EPA suspended plans to discontinue the ENERGY STAR program.  
10. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) withdrew a proposal to ban broadband bulk billing arrangements.  
11. The Department of Energy (DOE) rescinded its rule imposing energy conservation standards for instantaneous gas-fired water heaters.  
12. HUD delayed its HOME Investment Partnerships Program: Updates & Streamlining Final Rule, which would impose 10 new federally mandated landlord- tenant requirements for covered housing.  
13. HUD delayed its final determination for new multifamily construction and rehabilitation projects financed by the agency to adopt certain model building codes that are not required in the vast majority of states nationwide as minimum energy standards.
14. The DOE postponed mandated efficiency standards for home appliances.  
15. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) removed more than 300 blog posts seeking to regulate business sectors outside established rulemaking processes from its website.  
16. The FTC excluded rental housing from its rule on so-called “junk fees.”  

NAA is grateful for the Trump Administration’s attention to these regulatory challenges. Without their swift action, federal overregulation of the rental housing industry would continue to impact the cost and availability of affordable housing for millions of Americans. NAA continues to advocate against policies that exacerbate longstanding affordability challenges and instead for real housing policy solutions. Stay updated at naahq.org/news/regulatory-wins.  

Outlook  

While this year saw impressive progress – both on the legislative and regulatory fronts – for our industry, the work continues, and there are many more priorities to advance and many other policy conversations to monitor as we enter the new year.  

In Congress, lawmakers continue to show more passion and openness to bipartisan action on housing policy – as demonstrated by the overwhelming support for the provisions outlined in the ROAD to Housing Act. In the year ahead, NAA will continue to build on that momentum to advance its policy solutions, both to ease affordability challenges and protect the long-term viability of our industry.  

While strong momentum was made this year, all federal enforcement of the CARES Act notice must end – including through the passage of the Respect State Housing Laws Act – to return rightful authority of the landlord-tenant relationship to the states and restore normalcy to rental housing operations. States’ (or localities’) established notice procedure should apply uniformly to all rent-related disputes. NAA will continue its advocacy with Congress and the Trump Administration to ensure the rental housing industry’s voice is heard.  

At the state and local levels, lawmakers continue to flirt with policies that would ultimately exacerbate housing challenges. Rent control remains at the top of the list; NAA tracked 136 rent control bills and three ballot measures across the country in 2025. Despite its disastrous results, this failed policy solution will see renewed fervor in 2026. NAA will continue to support its affiliate partners’ efforts to oppose rent control.  

The Advocacy Differential: Your Voice  

Now more than ever, the participation of NAA members and affiliate partners in federal advocacy is critical to our industry’s success. Your voice, your story and your work to better our industry and the communities that we serve are the most important tools the industry has to change the narrative, stop harmful policies and pursue real housing solutions.  

In 2026, boost your advocacy participation to help make a difference for our industry. Learn more at naahq.org/advocacy.  

• Share your voice at Advocate, March 24-25, in Washington, D.C., and meet with your representatives in Congress. Registration is now open!
• Stay connected with Apartment Advocate, NAA’s semimonthly advocacy newsletter. Read the latest.  
• Join NAA’s monthly Advocacy and Legal Webinar for the latest updates from Washington and across the country. Register now.

Greg Brown is SVP, Government Affairs with NAA. Nicole Upano is AVP, Housing Policy & Regulatory Affairs with NAA. Owen Caine is AVP, Federal Legislative Affairs with NAA.