Republican Scott Perry was one of just 32 U.S. representatives to vote against a bipartisan affordable housing bill on June 23 and the only member of the Pennsylvania delegation to vote no.
The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act passed in the House of Representatives on a 358-32 vote, a day after the Senate approved it 85-5. The bill puts limits on the number of single-family homes private investment firms may purchase to use as rental properties, in an effort to make more of those homes available for families to purchase, and includes other provisions to reform federal housing programs and increase housing availability.
Pennsylvania Sens. Dave McCormick (R) and John Fetterman (D) both voted yes. McCormick told reporters on June 29 the bill “goes a long way to eliminating red tape and making it easier to invest.” Fetterman touted the bill in a press release, noting that it includes two of his own proposals, to address housing deterioration and give localities more authority to modernize zoning policies.
In a June 27 post on X, Perry wrote: “For over 50 years, the federal government has thrown money at housing – which has caused the current housing crisis. The more money we throw at it, the more expensive it gets. Instead of removing inflationary pressures and allowing the market to work, this housing bill doubles down on the failures by elevating Sen. [Elizabeth] Warren’s socialist policies that worsen the situation.”
Barron’s reported in March that the bill would prohibit large investment firms, including the Blackstone Group, from buying up single-family housing to use as rental properties, though the report noted it contained some loopholes.
That month, Blackstone’s chair, CEO, and co-founder Stephen Schwarzman donated tens of thousands of dollars to the campaigns and leadership PACs of Republican members of Congress. His donations included $7,000 to Perry’s campaign and $5,000 to his First Capital political action committee — the legal annual maximums. Schwarzman’s wife Christine made identical donations at the same time.
Neither Perry’s office nor Schwarzman’s immediately responded to requests for comment for this story.
Perry is currently seeking reelection to an eighth term in Congress in a competitive race. His Democratic opponent, former television news anchor Janelle Stelson, posted on Facebook on June 23: “Congress just passed legislation to lower housing costs with overwhelming support from both parties, including the backing of President Trump, but Scott Perry voted against it. He was the only member of Pennsylvania’s delegation, Democrat or Republican, to vote against lowering the cost of housing for middle class families. People in this district deserve a representative who fights for us and actually addresses the challenges we face. Scott Perry did not and never does. I will.”
According to the nonprofit Regional Housing Legal Services, Pennsylvania is facing an affordable housing crisis, with an estimated shortage of 267,000 affordable units for the lowest-income renters.
The bill is awaiting action by President Donald Trump. Although the Trump administration endorsed the bill in May, Trump canceled a planned signing ceremony for it and demanded that Congress first pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility or SAVE America Act. That bill would make it harder for Americans to register to vote by requiring documentary proof of citizenship, such as a valid passport or a birth certificate. According to a Center for American Progress analysis, millions of American citizens lack the documentation that would be required.
“Congress passed a law to help lower housing costs. But Trump is holding it hostage,” said Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Jack Reed in a June 27 Facebook post. “He doesn’t care about affordability. He wants unprecedented power over elections, even if it means disenfranchising millions of eligible American voters.”
Trump said on June 29 that the affordable housing legislation is unimportant, telling reporters: “Big deal, it’s a yawn. Some people say it’s wonderful. To me, compared to the SAVE America Act, just about everything is a big yawn.”