Bipartisan RESIDE Act aims to convert vacant spaces into housing

A bipartisan group of lawmakers has introduced legislation aimed at repurposing vacant buildings into affordable housing.

Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-Calif.), Maria Salazar (R-Fla.), Johnny Olszewski (D-Md.) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) announced the Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments (RESIDE) Act — which would create a pilot grant program for communities to rehabilitate empty offices, malls, motels and other properties into homes.

“As a contagion of housing crisis has spread to nearly every major U.S. metro, ample sites with vacant office buildings, empty malls, and declining motels languish,” Liccardo said. “With RESIDE, we can help transform downtown ‘doom loops’ and strip malls into flourishing, vibrant communities.”

Salazar said the bill could help improve affordability in her district.

“Homeownership has long been a cornerstone of the American dream. In Miami, that dream has become increasingly unaffordable, especially for young people,” she said. “The Revitalizing Empty Structures Into Desirable Environments Act is a bipartisan, budget-neutral, and commonsense solution that would increase the supply of housing and make the dream of homeownership a reality.”

Olszewski said the legislation offers a thoughtful and effective solution to a pressing need — adding that “no family should worry about having a warm and safe place to sleep at night.”

“Repurposing vacant buildings both meets the growing demand for attainable housing in this economy and revives local spaces,” he said. “I’m proud to support this creative legislation to address the housing crisis affecting every community in our country.”

Fitzpatrick called housing affordability “one of the defining challenges of our time.”

“By bridging the gap between underused buildings and unmet housing needs, (the RESIDE Act) empowers local governments to transform abandoned warehouses, hotels, and strip malls into affordable homes without adding a dime of new spending,” he said. “In doing so, we can reinvigorate main streets, make smarter use of existing infrastructure, and help more families achieve the American dream of homeownership.”

The RESIDE Act recently advanced in the Senate as part of a bipartisan housing package led by Sens. Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Jim Banks (R-Ind.).

Should the act become law, the Department of Housing and Urban Development would administer the program through its HOME initiative — giving priority to municipalities with fewer regulatory barriers for conversions.