In March 2020, the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136), enacted in March 2020, in the Congress of USA, contained several housing-related provisions. The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began having wide-ranging public health and economic effects in the United States. The impacts of the pandemic have implications for housing, including the ability of households experiencing income disruptions to make housing payments. In response, Congress and the Administration have taken a variety of actions related to COVID-19 and housing. However, the pandemic is continuing and the economy is in a recession. Some initial assistance measures have ended, and there have been calls for additional action. The longer-term consequences of the pandemic and associated economic turmoil on housing markets remain unclear.

Outside of pandemic-related housing issues, several other housing-related issues have been active during the 116th Congress. These include issues related to assisted housing programs, such as those administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and issues related to housing finance, among other things. Specific topics of interest include issues such as the status of two government-sponsored enterprises, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac; how to prioritize appropriations for federal housing programs in a limited funding environment; oversight of the implementation of changes to certain housing programs that were enacted in prior Congresses; administrative changes to certain affordable housing policies and programs; and the extension of certain temporary housing-related tax provisions.