WASHINGTON – BROOKLYN REP. YVETTE CLARKE (D-09) on Tuesday introduced the Affordable Housing and Area Median Income Fairness Act of 2026, legislation that would reformulate the Area Median Income metric, which is used by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development to determine rents and income limits for affordable units.
Clarke said in a statement that the current method for calculating AMI excludes some low-income families from housing intended for them, arguing that this is an increasing problem as rents continue to rise; according to the representative, nearly half of all renters pay over 30% of their incomes, and nearly a quarter pay over 50%. The bill’s text claims that the formula fails to adequately adjust for high costs of living in urban areas, and that assessing incomes by zip code doesn’t capture an accurate snapshot of living conditions on the ground, among other issues.
The bill directs HUD to assess “more inclusive” AMI calculation methods, as well as to report to Congress on its findings and recommendations for reforming or eliminating the use of AMI. Additionally, the legislation authorizes $15 billion for various housing programs nationwide.
“Too often in America, housing that is alleged to be affordable remains out of reach for the low-income families who need it the most. We can tie a direct line between that failure and the flaws within HUD’s current methods for calculating Area Median Income, which do not adequately reflect the complexity of our communities or the modern challenges they face,” said Clarke.
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