Key facts
- A new survey shows voters across party lines support expanded federal housing aid beyond the recently enacted 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
- Voters strongly favor increased federal funding for rental assistance and affordable housing programs.
- A significant majority of voters also support a federal ban on institutional investors owning single-family homes.
- The ROAD Act, which includes tax incentives for affordable housing and caps corporate ownership of single-family homes, passed with strong bipartisan support.
- Housing affordability is considered a critical issue by nearly 80% of respondents, with 88% stating it has never been harder to buy a home.
Voters across the political spectrum strongly support expanded federal housing initiatives beyond the recently enacted 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, according to a new survey. The poll of 19,564 adults, conducted by the University of Maryland Program for Public Consultation and Voice of the People, indicates a desire for more government action on housing affordability and attainability.
The survey, fielded between May 27 and June 25, 2026, found that large majorities of both Democrats and Republicans favor additional federal funding for rental assistance and affordable housing programs. Specifically, 86% of Democrats and 64% of Republicans supported a proposal to invest $40 billion in high-density affordable housing for very low- and low-income households. Similarly, 84% of Democrats and 64% of Republicans backed providing $25 billion to local governments for building and preserving such housing.
Furthermore, the survey revealed significant bipartisan backing for a federal ban on institutional investors owning more than 350 single-family homes, with 82% of Democrats and 77% of Republicans in favor. Voters also expressed strong support for an additional $24 billion in vouchers for very low-income, elderly, and disabled renters, a measure not included in the current law. This proposal garnered support from 89% of Democrats and 74% of Republicans.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act itself, which includes tax incentives for affordable housing construction and preservation and caps corporate ownership of single-family homes, passed Congress with substantial bipartisan margins. Polling from the American Property Owners Alliance and the Bipartisan Policy Center also indicates broad public support for the legislation's overarching goals and expanded access to affordable home financing.
Steven Kull, director of PPC at the University of Maryland, stated that while the new law aligns with public goals, large majorities of voters favor more extensive government investment and regulation in the housing sector. The survey highlights housing affordability as a paramount concern for voters, with nearly 80% identifying it as their biggest expense and 88% believing it has never been harder to buy a home.