Campus Housing Affordability Act
Sponsors
Legislative Progress
In CommitteeMr. Landsman (for himself, Mr. Nunn of Iowa, and Mrs. …
Summary
What This Bill Does
The Campus Housing Affordability Act removes barriers that currently prevent many college students from receiving Section 8 housing vouchers. It allows the HUD Secretary to waive eligibility requirements for students living in institutional housing and ensures that housing assistance does not reduce students' eligibility for other benefits like financial aid.
Who Benefits and How
Low-income college students benefit the most, as they would gain access to Section 8 housing vouchers that could help cover the cost of living in campus housing. Colleges and universities also benefit because more students would be able to afford housing at their institutions. Students receiving this assistance would not have it counted against them when applying for student financial aid, work-study program income calculations, AmeriCorps living allowances, or child support obligations.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Federal taxpayers will bear the cost of expanded housing assistance through the Section 8 program. HUD and Public Housing Authorities face increased administrative burden to implement the waiver program and process additional vouchers for student recipients. There is no cost estimate provided in the bill, but expansion of Section 8 eligibility to more students would increase federal spending on housing assistance.
Key Provisions
- Removes existing prohibitions on housing assistance to college students (Section 2)
- Authorizes the HUD Secretary to waive Section 8 requirements for eligible students living in institutional housing (Section 3)
- Ensures housing assistance is not counted as income for student financial aid eligibility, co-op program income, AmeriCorps allowances, or child support calculations
- Defines "eligible student" as someone enrolled in a higher education institution who lives in student housing and qualifies for Section 8 assistance
Evidence Chain:
This summary is derived from the structured analysis below. See "Detailed Analysis" for per-title beneficiaries/burden bearers with clause-level evidence links.
Primary Purpose
Expands access to federal housing assistance (Section 8 vouchers) for college students by removing eligibility restrictions and allowing waivers for students living in institutional housing.
Policy Domains
Legislative Strategy
"Remove regulatory barriers that currently prevent many college students from receiving Section 8 housing vouchers, while also ensuring that such assistance does not count against students for financial aid, work-study, or child support calculations."
Likely Beneficiaries
- Low-income college students seeking housing assistance
- Students living in institutional housing facilities
- Colleges and universities with student housing programs
- Families with college-age children facing housing insecurity
Likely Burden Bearers
- Federal taxpayers (expanded housing assistance costs)
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (administration)
- Public Housing Authorities (increased voucher processing)
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
A person who: (1) is enrolled in an institution of higher education as defined in section 101(a) of the Higher Education Act of 1965, including institutions described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 102(a)(1); (2) lives in a student housing facility maintained by such institution; and (3) is eligible to receive tenant-based assistance under Section 8.
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology