August 29, 2026
Dear Friends,
For decades, the state of housing in America has been a vicious cycle of skyrocketing costs — for both homes and rentals — and a lack of availability. Countless Americans, especially young people, have found themselves priced out of the housing market through no fault of their own. This is a frustration many in our Capital Region and beyond know all too well.
Lowering the cost of living for working families has been my top priority as your representative in Congress. But in far too many ways, our federal government has been failing in that mission. It’s no secret that I’ve strongly opposed this administration’s actions that have exacerbated this affordability crisis — from sinking billions into a reckless war in the Middle East, to spending hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on a White House ballroom, to the ever-worsening impact of Trump's tariffs. Through it all, I’ve called out my Republican colleagues for rubberstamping this disastrous agenda and bowing down to President Trump rather than meeting the needs of our communities.
But, even amid this legislative gridlock and the GOP’s backward priorities, Democrats and Republicans were able to come together this summer in a spark of unity to pass the biggest housing affordability bill in a generation with strong bipartisan backing.
That bill, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, advanced with an overwhelming majority of members in both the House and Senate who recognized the urgency of tackling America’s housing affordability crisis. In the 11th hour, Trump threatened to tank this commonsense bill. But in the end, it became law without the president’s signature.
Among other provisions, this new law would:
- Increase the supply of housing by streamlining zoning, land-use, and environmental review policies to reduce barriers to housing development;
- Provide various grants and loans to support the development of new housing and the improvement of existing properties;
- Create a program to improve the accessibility of small-dollar mortgages that help buyers — particularly veterans — obtain lower-cost homes;
- Restrict the number of single-family homes that can be owned by large, institutional investors — thereby promoting homeownership opportunities for everyday Americans rather than big corporations.
Our 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act offers families the opportunity to live their American dream and make the leap towards homeownership. As that new law comes into full effect, I want to make certain that Capital Region residents have the information they need to navigate the housing and rental landscape of today. That’s why this week, I hosted a Capital Region Housing Expo at SUNY Schenectady County Community College. I brought together more than 30 local housing organizations, government agencies, nonprofits, renters’ rights advocates, and community partners to offer direct support, answer questions, and provide practical guidance on housing programs, eligibility, and pathways to securing or maintaining affordable housing. I’m grateful to all the local residents and housing organizations who joined, and I look forward to continuing the fight to secure, safe, affordable housing for every American.
It has been a true pleasure to spend this past month travelling across our district and speaking directly with all of you. Next week, I will return to Washington DC ready to bring your voices to Washington and continue the fight to make life better for communities here in our Capital Region and beyond.
Thank you to all who shared your thoughts with me over these past several weeks. Whether patients and healthcare workers pushing for affordable, accessible health care for all, families and advocates of immigrants fighting to protect the rights and liberties of their neighbors and loved ones, parents and childcare workers dedicated to seeing our kids grow and thrive, or everyday folks sharing their fears and hopes with me — I am deeply grateful for your insights and your commitment to our region and those who call it home.
And, as always, thank you for reading.
Your friend,
DID YOU KNOW?
My office and I are working to make sure you remain informed with the latest updates and recommendations from governments and agencies. With that in mind, here is some information that may be of interest to you:
- The Capital District Regional Planning Commission (CDRPC) has an upcoming Climate Action Webinar on Local Climate Action Planning
- The CDRPC launched this 2026 webinar series to highlight key topics from the Regional Climate Action Plan.
- Designed for municipal officials, planners, and community members, the series will explore practical strategies that communities can use to take meaningful local climate action. Each session will focus on a different topic related to climate resilience, sustainable development, and clean energy planning. The webinars will be held on the first Wednesday of each month from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM.
- The latest session will be held on Wednesday, September 2nd, at 12:00PM and will provide a practical walkthrough of how municipalities can develop and implement effective climate action plans tailored to their community’s local needs
