By Eric C. Peck | DS News
Sens. John Thune of South Dakota and Jerry Moran of Kansas have reintroduced the Housing Supply Expansion Act, a measure that would address the shortage of affordable housing options across the nation by making targeted reforms to requirements under the Davis-Bacon Act, a 1930s-era labor law. These reforms would reduce labor costs and administrative burdens on residential construction contractors, which would free up capital that could be redirected toward building additional affordable housing.
“Affordable housing shortages directly affect prospective homebuyers and renters, but they also impact small businesses that are trying to overcome pressing workforce needs,” said Sen. Thune. “I continue to hear about this issue from folks across South Dakota, and I’m proud to lead this common-sense legislation that would reform archaic requirements in the Davis-Bacon Act, cut through its overly-burdensome red tape, and increase the supply of affordable housing.”