This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly digest of regulatory developments, legislative discussions and other government-related news related to residential and commercial construction as well as infrastructure and government initiatives and programs concerning housing and housing affordability. Once a week, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Dates: 2026-03-08 to 2026-03-14

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🏛️ This Week's Congressional Calendar
• 🇺🇸 Federal Government News
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

This Week's Congressional Calendar

• House Veterans' Affairs Committee: Hearing on Leasing and Infrastructure Act of 2025 and related bills: The House Veterans' Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on March 18, 2026, covering the Leasing and Infrastructure Act of 2025, VA Contracting and Procurement Act, and additional veterans-related legislation. Witnesses include Mr. Phil Christy, Chief Acquisition Officer, Office of Acquisition, Logistics, and Construction, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Ms. Margarita Devlin, Acting Under Secretary for Benefits, Veterans Benefits Administration, and Dr. Thomas O'Toole, Acting Assistant Under Secretary for Health for Clinical Services.

Federal Government News

Executive Order: Removing Regulatory Barriers to Affordable Home Construction

President Donald J. Trump issued an executive order on March 13, 2026, directing federal agencies to review and revise regulations impacting stormwater, wetlands, and environmental standards to lower housing costs. Agencies are instructed to eliminate restrictive rules related to permitting, energy efficiency, and water use for residential construction, including manufactured housing. The order encourages the adoption of best practices such as capping permitting timelines and revising mandates that may raise costs, and calls for increased investment in residential projects within Opportunity Zones by leveraging federal programs and tax incentives. Federal permitting requirements under environmental and historic preservation laws will be reconsidered to facilitate housing and related infrastructure development.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Executive Order: Promoting Access to Mortgage Credit

An executive order dated March 13, 2026, aims to improve access to mortgage credit by adjusting regulatory requirements for smaller banks, revising rules around the Ability-to-Repay and Qualified Mortgage standards, and modernizing data collection under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. The order also addresses appraisal regulations, digital mortgage processes, and seeks to remove duplicative licensing requirements. Federal banking regulators are directed to support construction lending by altering capital and liquidity rules. Supervisory flexibility and good-faith compliance are emphasized as part of the policy approach.

Sources: www.whitehouse.gov

Federal Trade Commission: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Rental Housing Fee Practices

The Federal Trade Commission issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on March 13, 2026, regarding unfair or deceptive practices in rental housing fees. Public comments are sought on issues such as advertising rents without mandatory fees, imposing charges without informed consent, and misleading consumers about the purpose of fees. Enforcement actions against companies like Invitation Homes and Greystar led to penalties and consumer remedies. Proposed rules may require clear disclosure of total rent, itemized fee breakdowns, and prohibit deceptive fee practices. Comments are due by April 13, 2026.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Federal Acquisition Regulation: Updated Trade Agreement Thresholds

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council announced a final rule effective March 13, 2026, updating trade agreement thresholds for supply, service, and construction contracts to reflect inflation and align with U.S. Trade Representative determinations for the WTO GPA and various Free Trade Agreements. New thresholds include $174,000 for supply/service contracts and $6,683,000 for construction under the WTO GPA. The rule amends FAR sections, provisions, and clauses related to trade agreements, certifications, and compliance, but imposes negligible cost or administrative changes for contractors.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

Federal Highway Administration: Request for Comments on Highway Construction Training Program Grant

The Federal Highway Administration issued a notice on March 13, 2026, inviting public comment on a proposed information collection for the Highway Construction Training Program (HCTP) Grant. The HCTP funds workforce development in highway construction, maintenance, and operations, with $4.23 million available and a maximum award of $300,000 per recipient. Performance measures include tracking program entrants, completions, job placements, wages, retention, and educational outcomes. 56 respondents are expected, with an estimated annual reporting burden of 19 hours.

Sources: www.federalregister.gov

What We're Reading This Week

• Canada's Construction Labour Crisis: How the Skilled Trades Shortage Is Reshaping Real Estate Development: The skilled trades shortage is impacting real estate development in Canada.
• Senate passes bipartisan housing bill to improve access and affordability: The U.S. Senate approved a bipartisan housing bill targeting improved affordability.
• Basic Materials Roundup: Market Talk: Market discussion focuses on basic materials trends for construction.
• Canada Home Construction Set for Multiyear Slump, Agency Says: Official forecasts indicate a multiyear slump in Canadian home construction.
• Trump signs executive orders aimed at addressing home affordability concerns ahead of midterms: Trump administration issues orders targeting home affordability issues.
• Trump orders agencies to cut red tape on homebuilding, mortgages: Agencies are directed to reduce regulatory barriers for homebuilding and mortgages.
• Senate Resoundingly Passes Housing Bill, but Challenges Lie Ahead: Senate passed a substantial housing bill; implementation challenges remain.
• US single-family housing starts fall in January: Housing starts for single-family homes declined in January 2026.

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