To establish the Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis, and for other purposes.

This bill creates a bipartisan, 18-member group called the **Task Force on the Impact of the Affordable Housing Crisis**. The task force's job is to evaluate how a shortage of affordable housing affects individual lives, community economies, and government costs, and to provide recommendations to Congress based on its findings.

* **Task force appointees:** 18 members will be appointed by congressional leaders (the Senate Majority Leader, Senate Minority Leader, Speaker of the House, and House Minority Leader). Appointees must be academic researchers, policy experts, or individuals with relevant experience in government programs. * **Federal agencies:** Department and agency heads are required to share requested data with the task force. Agencies are also permitted to temporarily assign employees to work for the task force without receiving reimbursement. * **The general public:** Citizens and organizations will have an opportunity to submit public comments regarding the task force's goals and activities. * **Congressional committees:** The final findings will go to the House Financial Services, House Ways and Means, Senate Banking, and Senate Finance committees.

* **Setting up the task force:** Congressional leaders must appoint all 18 members within 180 days of the bill becoming law. The task force must hold its first meeting within 30 days after a majority of its members have been appointed. * **Gathering information:** The task force **must** use existing government and survey data to analyze how housing affordability impacts areas such as education, health, employment, income, nutrition, transportation, neighborhood poverty, regional economic growth, and government program expenses. * **Public input:** The task force **must** publish a notice in the *Federal Register* opening a 90-day period for public comments. * **Task force powers:** The task force **may** hold official hearings, take testimony, use the U.S. mail under standard agency rules, hire staff, and request data directly from federal agencies. Federal agencies **must** provide requested information when asked by the co-chairs. * **Final report:** The task force **must** publish a final report containing its findings and recommendations, signed by all members, and submit it to Congress before shutting down. * **Official definitions:** The bill defines "affordable housing" for government programs as: * Housing where total costs (including utilities) do not exceed 30% of household income for families earning at or below the Area Median Income (AMI); or * Housing assisted by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)—such as public housing, Section 8 vouchers, or Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties—serving households at or below 80% AMI where gross costs exceed 30% of income.

* **Authorized funding:** The bill authorizes Congress to appropriate "such sums as may be necessary" to cover the task force's costs for fiscal years 2027 through 2030. The exact dollar amount is not specified in the bill. * **Staff and expenses:** Task force co-chairs **may** hire staff and set their salaries. Members **may** be reimbursed for travel expenses and daily allowances (per diem). * **Agency staff details:** Federal agencies **may** lend employees to the task force without getting paid back.

* **Time limit:** The task force is temporary and **must** shut down no later than 2 years after all members are appointed. * **Data sources:** The task force **must** rely on existing statistical and survey data to conduct its study rather than collecting new primary data. * **Unclear details:** The bill leaves the exact spending limit unspecified, authorizing "such sums as necessary" rather than a set dollar amount.

This bill sets up a temporary, 18-member panel of housing experts and researchers to study how a lack of affordable housing impacts individuals, local economies, and federal spending, requiring them to publish a final report with recommendations for Congress within two years.