Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing
(PRO Housing)
Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentStates/localities pursuing zoning reform and housing production
What This Program Does
The Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) program provides competitive grants to state and local governments to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production, such as restrictive zoning laws, outdated land use policies, and lengthy permitting processes. It was created in 2023 as part of a broader effort to address the national housing shortage. Beneficiaries include communities seeking to increase housing supply and reduce housing costs.
Who Would Be Affected
State and local governments that have applied for or received grants to reform zoning and land use regulations would lose funding. In its first round, PRO Housing awarded approximately $85 million across dozens of communities nationwide. These grants supported localities working to allow more housing construction, particularly in areas with severe housing shortages and high costs, affecting residents who would have benefited from increased housing availability.
What This Cut Would Mean
The proposed elimination of the full $100 million budget would end federal support for local zoning reform and housing production planning efforts. Communities that relied on these grants to undertake regulatory changes aimed at boosting housing supply would need to find alternative funding sources or delay reforms. The administration argues these grants represent federal overreach into local land use decisions. However, housing policy analysts have noted that the program was designed to be voluntary and locally driven, and some economists point out that zoning restrictions are a significant contributor to the national housing shortage, which various estimates place at 1.5 to 7 million units.
Administration's Stated Rationale
“Zoning reform grants considered federal overreach into local land use decisions.”