# What the Interagency Council on Affordable Housing Act Does

This bill creates a new federal organization called the United States Interagency Council on Housing Affordability and Preservation. Think of it as a coordination hub that brings together 21 different government agencies—from Housing and Urban Development to the Department of Defense—to work together on making housing more affordable and available across the country.

The council's main job is to develop a national strategy for preserving and increasing affordable housing while also making rental markets fairer and promoting fair housing practices. Rather than having each government agency work separately on housing issues, this council forces them to sit at the same table, share information, and coordinate their efforts. The council must create a comprehensive national plan within a year and update it annually. It also needs to meet at least four times per year to keep the momentum going, with leadership positions rotating among member agencies each year.

The council will provide practical support to states, cities, and nonprofits trying to navigate federal housing programs. It will hire regional coordinators (between 5 and 10 of them) stationed across the country's 10 federal regions to help local governments and organizations understand how to apply for federal grants, coordinate different programs, and solve housing problems specific to their areas. The council will also hold workshops every two years in each region and publish regular bulletins explaining what federal resources are available for affordable housing projects.

The bill requires all member agencies to report annually on their housing programs, how many people they serve, and what barriers exist that prevent people from accessing those programs. The council will monitor these efforts, identify problems, and make recommendations to Congress about what needs to change. The bill authorizes $4.8 million per year through 2028 to fund this operation, and it encourages states to create their own similar councils to coordinate housing efforts at the state and local level.