The White House has proposed restricting certain large-scale investors from acquiring additional single-family homes, marking a potential shift in federal housing policy aimed at easing affordability pressures.
According to a Wall Street Journal report cited by Reuters, the administration of President Donald Trump has circulated a memo to congressional committee leaders outlining a proposal to bar investors owning more than 100 single-family homes from purchasing further properties. The measure forms part of a broader effort to limit competition between institutional buyers and individual home seekers in the residential market.
The proposal includes exemptions. Investors who construct new homes or undertake substantial renovations with the sole intention of renting them out would not be subject to the ban. Administration officials are reportedly seeking to incorporate the restriction into a Senate housing bill currently under negotiation, signalling an intention to embed the measure within forthcoming legislation rather than rely solely on executive action.
The initiative follows an executive order signed in January directing limits on large institutional investors competing with individual buyers. The administration has framed the move as part of a wider strategy to address voter concerns over housing affordability ahead of congressional elections this year. In parallel, officials have implemented additional measures, including purchases of mortgage-backed securities, designed to support housing market conditions.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. While the proposed threshold targets investors with sizeable portfolios, details on enforcement mechanisms and the scale of potential market impact have not been disclosed. The approach reflects growing political scrutiny of investor participation in the single-family segment, yet its final form will depend on negotiations in Congress and the scope of exemptions ultimately agreed.
