Congressman Kevin Kiley introduced the Housing Choice Voucher Fairness Act, a bill designed to increase housing affordability in rural, suburban, and small urban communities by ensuring that local housing dollars are used to serve local families.
Under current law, Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) are required to continue paying for housing vouchers even when recipients relocate outside the PHA’s jurisdiction, often to significantly more expensive cities, such as San Francisco or Manhattan. As a result, limited housing funds intended for local residents are diverted to cover higher rents elsewhere, reducing assistance available in communities across Northern California.
The Housing Choice Voucher Fairness Act addresses this issue by ensuring that PHAs are not required to absorb rent increases of more than 10% when a voucher is used outside the issuing agency’s jurisdiction. This reform preserves tenant choice while protecting local housing authorities from unsustainable cost increases.
“Housing assistance programs should work for the communities that fund them and the families who rely on them,” Rep. Kiley said. “This bill ensures local housing dollars stretch further, helping more families where they live while preserving choice and opportunity.”
“Setting limits on portability-related costs protects housing authorities like ours in rural and suburban areas from being forced to cover exorbitant big-city rents when voucher holders move,” said the Placer County Housing Authority. “In some cases, we have had to pay rents nearly 50 percent higher than what we pay in Placer—funding that could instead support two or even three households right here at home.”
“As a smaller rural Public Housing Authority, we applaud Congressman Kevin Kiley’s initiative in establishing the Housing Choice Voucher Fairness Act of 2025,” said the El Dorado Health and Human Services Agency. “This legislation will protect client choice and prevent unsustainable financial strain on smaller communities like ours where every dollar counts.”
The Regional Housing Authority serving Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, and Colusa Counties added, “This legislation strikes the right balance between expanding choice for families and protecting the integrity of the Housing Choice Voucher program. By setting a clear cap of 10%, Congress ensures voucher portability remains a tool for opportunity without driving unsustainable costs.”
The Housing Choice Voucher Fairness Act is part of Congressman Kiley’s broader effort to promote affordable housing solutions that reflect the unique needs of rural and suburban communities.