The U.S. Senate has passed the RESIDE Act, a bill introduced by Indiana U.S. Sen. Jim Banks to help convert abandoned and underused buildings into housing. The bill establishes a pilot program designed to assist local communities in transforming vacant properties into housing for families.

Addressing Housing Shortages

According to supporters, the proposal is aimed at addressing housing shortages by encouraging the reuse of existing structures rather than new construction alone. The RESIDE Act would allow communities to apply for assistance in converting unused buildings into affordable housing units, with a focus on revitalizing properties that have remained vacant or underutilized.

Sen. Banks said the measure is intended to provide a practical approach to increasing housing availability. The bipartisan bill offers a “common-sense solution” to expand the housing supply without creating a new federal spending program, according to a statement.

Original reporting: WOWO News/Talk (Fort Wayne) — read the source article.