Adam's record on Housing

Smith supported passage of H.R. 4546, the FY2003 National Defense Authorization Act, which increased military housing allowances to cover 92.5 percent of housing costs and included more than $10 billion for new military housing and working facilities.¹

Smith announced that Northwest Housing Development in Sumner had been awarded a $1,271,600 USDA Rural Development grant to help low-income families build homes in rural Washington.¹

The president signed the defense authorization bill into law, and Smith's office again reported the bill's increase of military housing allowances to cover 92.5 percent of housing costs.¹

On July 9, 2009, Smith voted for the Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, which provided $108.9 billion for the Department of Veterans Affairs, an increase of $14.5 billion over Fiscal Year 2009.¹

On July 23, 2009, Smith secured funding for two local transportation projects in the Fiscal Year 2010 House Transportation and Housing Appropriations Bill, including $300,000 for the 70th Avenue East and Valley Avenue East Corridor Project.¹

On July 24, 2009, Smith voted for the Labor, Health and Education Appropriations Act, which included $250,000 for the Competitive Supply Chain Management Workforce program.¹

Smith announced he had joined the Democratic Whip's Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality and Opportunity, chaired by Congresswoman Barbara Lee, saying the task force examines policy proposals in areas including higher education, job training and employment, and stable housing.¹

Smith said he was pleased that VASH had awarded project-based vouchers to ensure veterans in the community have access to housing.¹

The release stated that 11 of these vouchers will be used at the Multi-Service Center Veterans Housing Project in Federal Way, King County.¹

On June 8, 2018, Smith sent a letter to the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Health and Human Services about the detention of asylum-seeking women separated from their children at the Federal Detention Center in SeaTac, Washington, saying "these families have the right to apply for asylum, and should not be torn apart while the process is taking place."¹

On June 20, 2018, as House Armed Services Committee Ranking Member, Smith joined Senate Armed Services Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed in sending a letter to Defense Secretary Mattis requesting assurances that Congress would have access to any Department of Defense sites used to house migrant children.¹

In the release accompanying that letter, Smith said he would "continue to do everything I can to stop this administration's inhumane policy toward children and their families."¹

The records provided for this span, dated November 11 to December 17, 2019, consisted of press releases on veterans outreach, an education and workforce training bill, passage of the FY20 National Defense Authorization Act, House passage of a prescription drug pricing bill, and a statement on articles of impeachment against President Trump.⁶

None of the six records provided addressed housing policy.⁶

On June 29, 2020, Smith voted no on a motion to recommit H.R. 7301, the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act, which failed 191-219, then voted yes on passage of the bill, which passed 232-180.²

In a statement released after the vote, he said the legislation would extend the eviction moratorium for renters and landlords to 2021, invest $100 billion in a new emergency rental assistance program, and provide low-cost loans for landlords.¹

After the House passed H.R. 2, the Moving Forward Act, on July 1, 2020, Smith said the bill would invest $100 billion in the nation's affordable housing infrastructure to create or preserve 1.8 million affordable homes for low-income families.¹

After the House passed a second fiscal year 2021 appropriations package on July 31, 2020, Smith said it would expand access to affordable and fair housing and invest additional resources in affordable housing programs, including the Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers program.¹

On 2020-09-17, Smith joined the Washington congressional delegation in a letter to President Trump supporting Governor Inslee's request for a major disaster declaration, plus public and individual assistance for Whitman County, after wildfires destroyed the community of Malden and other areas in Eastern Washington.¹

On 2020-10-01, Smith said the House had passed H.R. 925, the Updated Heroes Act, which he said included rental assistance and an extension of the eviction moratorium among other relief measures.¹

On 2020-10-05, Smith said he had included a provision in the Updated Heroes Act to give federal entities an easier path to transfer unused transit agency land to nonprofits and community-based organizations, citing the Youth Achievement Center in King County as a project the provision would help.¹

After the House passed a COVID-19 relief package on December 21, 2020, Smith said in a statement that the bill made a significant investment in additional funds for rental and housing assistance for struggling families.¹

On December 29, 2020, Smith introduced the Crisis Housing Act, which would establish an automatic housing assistance program providing emergency rental assistance vouchers to households during natural disasters or economic recessions.¹

In introducing the bill, Smith stated that the United States had an affordable housing crisis even before the COVID-19 outbreak and that the pandemic further highlighted families' vulnerability to displacement during economic crises.¹

Smith introduced the Ensuring a Long-Term Housing Recovery Act, which would use local Public Housing Authorities to provide rental assistance for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic recession.¹

He said the bill would invest in new housing vouchers that income-eligible households could remain on until their income returned to normal.¹

Smith said the American Rescue Plan Act, which the House passed and sent to the President's desk, would provide direct housing assistance.¹

He said the Equality Act, passed by the House, would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, along with employment, education, credit, jury service, public accommodations, and federal funding.¹

On April 30, 2021, Smith submitted Community Project Funding requests to the House Appropriations Committee for FY2022, including four affordable housing developments in the Seattle area: the Keiro Site, the Wadajir Residences & Souq, the Youth Achievement Center, and the MLK Mixed Use Affordable Housing and Early Learning Center.⁴

The Keiro Site request cited plans for 150 beds for homeless individuals and 285 units of permanently affordable rental housing (r1); the Wadajir Residences & Souq request cited 100 affordable homes for cooperative ownership (r5); the Youth Achievement Center request cited over 90 units of permanently affordable housing (r6); and the MLK Mixed Use request cited 152 apartment units for low-income and homeless families and individuals (r7).⁴

On June 3, 2021, Smith introduced the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act, which would let non-profit or other third-party entities, not just state or local governments, receive a zero-cost land transfer from a federal transit grant recipient of property no longer needed for a transit project, for the purpose of affordable housing.¹

On June 30, 2021, Smith announced $750,000 in INVEST in America Act funding for a Seattle Department of Transportation project to build protected bike lanes, signalize missing crosswalks, and fill a sidewalk gap along 1.1 miles of Martin Luther King Jr. Way S.¹

On July 1, 2021, the House passed H.R. 3684, the INVEST in America Act, which Smith voted for and said included $20 million for 11 projects in Washington's 9th district.¹

On July 13, 2021, Smith announced $8,148,000 secured in FY 2022 House appropriations bills for ten community projects in the 9th district, including $600,000 for the African Diaspora Cultural Anchor Village through African Community Housing & Development in Tukwila.¹

Smith said the ten projects would address issues ranging from affordable housing and economic development to mental health and youth services.¹

On March 9, 2022, Smith said the House of Representatives passed a government spending package, 260 to 171, that included over $9 million he had secured for ten community projects in Washington's Ninth District, which he said had the potential to create over 650 new units of affordable rental housing, temporary emergency housing, and affordable homes for ownership.¹

On March 15, 2022, after President Biden signed the spending package into law, Smith said the legislation would deliver funding to communities to help address challenges facing American families, including housing.¹

On March 16, 2022, Smith introduced the Empowering Individuals to Succeed Through Education and Workforce Training Act, which he said would provide a dedicated stream of funding to cover costs including housing, child care, and transportation for people in workforce training and two-year education programs.¹

In a statement released by Smith's office on March 18, 2022, the executive director of African Community Housing & Development said the organization appreciated Smith's support for the African Diaspora Cultural Anchor Village project.¹

On June 23, 2022, Smith announced that the House Committee on Appropriations included over $24 million for 15 community projects in Washington's Ninth District in FY2023 appropriations bills, with projects addressing housing along with health care, workforce development, and other areas.¹

On July 19, 2022, Smith voted yes on both procedural votes under H.Res. 1232 providing for consideration of H.R. 8294, a bill covering Transportation, Housing and Urban Development funding, and both votes passed the House.²

After the House passed H.R. 8294, a six-bill FY2023 funding package, by a vote of 220-207 on July 20, 2022, Smith said it included funding for new affordable housing development, housing vouchers, and services to reduce homelessness.¹

On July 28, 2022, Smith introduced the Saving Homes from Acquisition by Private Equity (SHAPE) Act, which would create a federal real estate transfer tax on institutional investors and private equity firms that purchase single-family homes, with the revenue directed to grants for states to build and preserve affordable housing.¹

On September 15, 2022, Smith introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act, which he said would provide funding to improve the capacity and retention of the service coordinator workforce that connects people in federally assisted housing to social services.¹

On September 22, 2022, he introduced the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, which he said would fund one-stop crisis care centers connecting individuals to resources including housing.¹

On September 28, 2022, Smith's office published statements of support for the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, including one describing efforts by the City of Seattle and King County to expand behavioral health capacity.¹

On September 29, 2022, he introduced the Community and Technical College Investment Act, which he said would establish wraparound support services, including housing, for students at community and technical colleges.¹

On 2023-04-17, Smith announced 15 Community Project Funding Requests submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for the FY 2024 appropriations bill, listing affordable housing among the investment areas across the Ninth District.²

On 2023-04-27, he introduced the Behavioral Health Crisis Care Centers Act, which would provide grant funding for states, cities and counties, and tribal governments to build and expand crisis stabilization centers offering housing assistance and other wraparound services.¹

On 2023-05-01, he introduced the Community and Technical College Investment Act, which would provide grant funding for tuition-free community and technical colleges and expand funding for housing, food, and transportation services for students.¹

On 2023-05-02, a statement on one of the funded Community Project Funding requests, the Africatown Community Land Trust's Walker Street Homes project, described it as creating 24 two-bedroom condos for affordable homeownership in Seattle's Central District.¹

On May 31, 2023, Smith stated he voted to advance the Bipartisan Budget Agreement, calling it "a deal that will save our economy from a devastating default on our debt."¹

On June 21, 2023, Smith voted no on H.Res. 524's previous question motion providing for consideration of H.R. 3564, the Middle Class Borrower Protection Act, a resolution that passed 215-207 with no Democrats voting yes.¹

Also on June 21, 2023, Smith voted no on agreeing to that same resolution, which passed 215-211 with no Democrats voting yes.¹

On June 22, 2023, Smith voted no on H.Res. 461, condemning the use of elementary and secondary school facilities to shelter aliens, which passed 223-201 with 7 Democrats voting yes.¹

On July 18, 2023, Smith voted no on two procedural measures for H.Res. 597, a rule for H.R. 3935, both of which passed the House, 213-206 and 213-207.²

On July 19, 2023, he voted yes on a motion to recommit H.R. 3941, the Schools Not Shelters Act, which failed 200-212, and voted no on passage of H.R. 3941, which passed the House 222-201.²

On July 28, 2023, he said he voted against the FY 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies appropriations bill because, in his words, it "falls short on our commitments to veterans, servicemembers, and their families," citing reduced funding for programs including military construction projects such as housing and child care centers.¹

On August 9, 2023, he introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act with Representatives Joyce Beatty and Suzanne Bonamici, which would increase funding for and make changes to service coordinator programs in federally assisted housing.¹

On July 28, 2023, Smith voted against the fiscal year 2024 Military Construction, Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, saying in a statement that it fell short on commitments to veterans and slashed funding for military construction projects including housing and child care centers.¹

In the same statement, he said the bill failed to make necessary investments in programs veterans rely on for education, job training, housing, and child care.¹

On August 9, 2023, Smith introduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act with Reps. Joyce Beatty and Suzanne Bonamici to increase funding for and reform service coordinator programs serving federally assisted housing.¹

On December 5, 2023, Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the bicameral End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act of 2023, which would ban hedge funds from the single-family home market and claw back some of the homes they already own.¹

On December 5, 2023, Smith voted yes on H.R. 3848, the Housing our Military Veterans Effectively Act, which passed the House 408-10.¹

On December 7, 2023, Smith issued a statement on the groundbreaking of the Mercy Angle Lake Family Housing project in SeaTac, noting that the project used the Affordable Housing Disposition Method made possible by the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act, which Smith said he helped pass by including it in the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.¹

On November 15, 2023, Smith introduced the Pre-Apprenticeship Wrap-Around Support Services Fund Act, which would help fund transportation, housing, and childcare stipends for people enrolled in pre-apprenticeship programs.¹

On December 5, 2023, Smith and Senator Jeff Merkley introduced the bicameral End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act of 2023, which would ban hedge funds from the single-family home market and claw back some of the homes they already own.¹

Smith said an increasing number of large investors purchasing single-family homes has squeezed out prospective buyers.¹

On December 7, 2023, Smith issued a statement on the groundbreaking of the Mercy Angle Lake Family Housing project in SeaTac, an affordable housing development built using a disposition method he said was made possible by the Promoting Affordable Housing Near Transit Act.¹

On March 6, 2024, the House of Representatives passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, a package of six government funding bills that included over $17 million for 15 projects in the Ninth District that Smith had requested.¹

On March 13, 2024, President Biden signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024, and Smith said the law would send nearly $18 million to the Ninth District for those 15 community projects, which he said would invest in housing, transportation, public safety, economic development, and health care.¹

Smith said the funding would help build more affordable housing, expand health care services, and promote education and job training.¹

On March 14, 2024, Smith introduced the Empowering Individuals to Succeed through Education and Workforce Training Act, which he said would provide stipends to individuals in workforce training and two-year education programs to pay for housing, transportation, and other costs.¹

On May 22, 2024, Smith announced 15 Community Project Funding requests submitted to the House Appropriations Committee for FY 2025, including projects to build more affordable housing.¹

On June 5, 2024, local leaders and organizations, including Purpose Dignity Action and the City of Renton, issued statements of support for the funding requests, which the release said would support projects investing in affordable housing.¹

On June 26, 2024, Smith and Rep. Pramila Jayapal, joined by Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, announced $5,000,000 in funding for the City of Seattle from HUD's Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing program, which Smith said would help lower the cost of housing and help more people become homeowners.¹

Smith introduced the Humans Over Private Equity (HOPE) for Homeownership Act with Senator Jeff Merkley to restrict hedge funds from buying single-family homes, and introduced the PHAZE Act aimed at lowering housing costs, increasing affordable housing supply, and reducing construction time.²

He reintroduced the Expanding Service Coordinators Act with Representatives Joyce Beatty and Suzanne Bonamici to expand the workforce connecting residents of federally assisted housing to health care, nutrition, and other services.¹

He said President Trump's budget would cut 43% of rent assistance for people with low incomes, and he visited homeless shelters and housing organizations including Porchlight's Emergency Men's Shelter, Union Gospel's Hope Place, and SEED in Seattle.⁴

He also participated in town halls and roundtables on affordable housing and homelessness, including a South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Town Hall in Auburn, a housing development roundtable in Bellevue, and a virtual town hall.³

Between December 2025 and March 2026, Smith said he had introduced the PHAZE Act, the HOPE for Homeownership Act, and the End Hedge Fund Control of American Homes Act, describing the bills as measures to increase housing supply, shorten construction and permitting timelines, and limit institutional investors in the housing market.³

From December 2025 through April 2026, Smith called a proposed cut to Housing First homelessness funding unlawful, supported Attorney General Nick Brown and other states' work to protect Continuum of Care funding, backed King County's decision to join a lawsuit against the administration's funding changes, and said a federal judge later blocked the administration's effort to restrict that funding.⁴

On February 9, 2026, Smith did not vote on H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which passed the House 390-9.¹

Smith voted yes on June 23 on H.R. 6644, the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which the U.S. House passed 358–32, with Democrats voting 191–0 in favor.¹

The next day he said the bill was done, calling it a strong consensus to limit institutional investors from buying up single-family homes and one of the first bipartisan accomplishments of this Congress.²

He said on June 29 that the President had refused to sign the bill, and on July 13 said the resulting law — which caps institutional investor ownership of single-family homes at 350 units per entity — had become law over the weekend.²

That day, Smith joined Representatives Khanna, Sánchez, and Williams to introduce the Protecting American Homes from Hedge Funds Act, which he said would remove hedge funds and large institutional investors from the single-family housing market.²