AOC and Senator Smith Unveil Urgently Needed Social Housing Legislation Amid the Escalating Housing Crisis
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive Congress member from New York, has introduced a monumental social housing bill to address the growing U.S. housing crisis. Together with Senator Tina Smith from Minnesota, Ocasio-Cortez has created the Homes Act in the House of Representatives, calling for the construction of millions of new affordable homes funded by the federal government.
The Homes Act and its Goals
The legislation is critical as millions of low-income Americans struggle to afford rental housing. If passed, it would establish a government-funded program that mandates long-term affordability for newly built homes and apartments. The Act, which Smith introduced to the Senate, represents a bold response to what both lawmakers describe as a nationwide “housing crisis.”
Addressing Housing Affordability
The Homes Act seeks to revolutionize U.S. housing policy by shifting away from a focus on private investment and single-family homeownership. The bill proposes creating a new authority within the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to acquire properties and ensure housing availability with legal tenant protections.
The bill’s key provisions include income-based rent structures and affordable purchase prices, ensuring that new homes remain within the financial reach of low-income families. Ocasio-Cortez and Smith stress that the program would rely on non-profit organizations, housing associations, or cooperatives to manage the properties, ensuring the focus remains on community welfare over profit.
Housing Costs as a Presidential Campaign Issue
The introduction of the Homes Act adds to the broader conversation on housing affordability, a critical issue in the lead-up to the next presidential election. Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, has responded to these concerns with a proposal to offer $25,000 in down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers. However, critics argue this could inflate home prices even further. In contrast, Ocasio-Cortez and Smith’s approach seeks to stabilize housing costs through public investment and legal safeguards such as income-based rent structures.
Inspiration from International and Local Models
The lawmakers point to successful examples of social housing in cities like Vienna, as well as projects in New York and Minnesota, as proof that this model can work in the U.S. They cite New York’s Co-op City in the Bronx, one of the world’s largest housing cooperatives, as a shining example of long-term affordability and sustainability.
Ocasio-Cortez and Smith argue that their bill could result in the construction and preservation of up to 1.25 million homes, including more than 850,000 specifically for low-income households.
Reimagining U.S. Housing Policy
In an editorial for The New York Times, Ocasio-Cortez and Smith criticized the current U.S. housing model, which they believe exacerbates the housing shortage and affordability issues through restrictive zoning laws and rising building costs. They propose that the federal government adopt a more proactive role in providing safe, affordable housing for millions of Americans.
“This is the federal government’s chance to invest in social housing and give millions of Americans a safe, comfortable, and affordable place to call home,” Ocasio-Cortez and Smith wrote. They emphasize the need to move away from treating real estate as a commodity and toward making housing a human right.
As the U.S. faces mounting housing challenges, the Homes Act represents a bold legislative effort to reshape the future of affordable housing and address the needs of the country’s most vulnerable populations.