Key Takeaways

• The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644) targets large institutional investors to improve housing affordability, but its vague language risks pulling employer-sponsored relocation home sale programs into scope.
• If the bill passes as-is, it could expose RMCs and corporate employers to penalties of up to $1 million or three times the purchase price per violation.
• 90% of companies outsource home sale programs for employer-sponsored moves, which have enabled more than half a million workers to relocate annually by eliminating dual mortgages, reducing tax burdens, and keeping business-critical moves on schedule.
• Altair Global, WERC, and the mobility industry are actively engaging Congress to secure a narrow exemption for employer-sponsored home sale programs within H.R. 6644, and mobility and HR managers can help by contacting their representatives.
  

The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (H.R. 6644), passed by the Senate in March 2026 and now returned to the House of Representatives to deliberate on the Senate’s version, is designed to address housing affordability by restricting large institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes.

As currently written, the bill could have serious unintended consequences for employer-sponsored relocation programs and the relocation management companies (RMCs) that administer them.

At Altair Global, we are actively engaged in advocacy efforts alongside WERC and the broader talent mobility industry to ensure the voices of our client partners — and their relocating employees — are heard on Capitol Hill. Here is what you need to know, why it matters, and what you can do.

On January 20, 2026, President Trump issued an executive proclamation aimed at improving housing affordability by curbing the role of large institutional investors in the single-family home market. In his State of the Union address on February 24, he urged Congress to formalize this policy into law. On March 2, the Senate advanced H.R. 6644, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which included new provisions targeting institutional investors, and it passed the Senate shortly after.

The legislation then headed to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to undergo significant deliberation. The House and Senate versions differ in meaningful ways, and the path forward remains fluid.

The talent mobility industry, including Altair and WERC, fully supports the goal of making housing more accessible and affordable for American families. The concern is not the intent of the legislation – it is the vague language of “large institutional investors” and its potential to cause a gray area that stifles RMCs’ ability to provide proper housing options for employees on assignment.

Section 901 of H.R. 6644 introduces provisions targeting institutional investors, but the definitions used are written broadly and, in some cases, ambiguously.

Additionally, the Senate-passed version of H.R. 6644 sets the threshold that triggers the institutional investor classification at 350 single-family homes in the aggregate. This number may seem large, but context is critical:

• Across all RMCs in the U.S., an estimated 22,000+ guaranteed buyout (GBO), buyer value option (BVO), and amended value home sale transactions occur annually.
• Depending on program size, time of year, or market conditions, an RMC or large corporate employer operating a direct home sale program could exceed the 350-home threshold, inadvertently triggering penalties that include fines of up to $1,000,000 or three times the purchase price per violation, whichever is higher.
  

Relocation-related home sale programs are not intended by Congress to be classified as large institutional investor activity. However, because of the way the bill is currently drafted, these programs risk being pulled into scope — not by intent, but by imprecise language.

Home sale programs have supported employee relocation in the U.S. for more than 50 years. As a recent WERC panel discussion made clear, they are not an administrative convenience; they are a foundational benefit that makes relocation financially and logistically possible for the vast majority of employees who use them.

More than half a million workers relocate annually within the U.S. or internationally as part of formal employer-initiated mobility programs. For many of these individuals, the ability to relocate hinges on the existence of a home sale program.

What Home Sale Programs Do for Relocating Employees

• They prevent employees from carrying two mortgages simultaneously — a financial burden that most workers simply cannot sustain.
• They shield relocating employees from significant tax burdens that would otherwise arise from the sale of their home in connection with a job move — a protection built into U.S. tax law over decades of Revenue Rulings.
• They allow employees to transition quickly to their new job and location without the uncertainty and delay of the open real estate market.
• They ensure that delays in finding a buyer or closing on a home do not disrupt relocation timelines or stall critical business operations.
• They enable companies to move talent where it is needed most, whether that is staffing a new hospital, supporting critical infrastructure, or placing key leadership, keeping organizations competitive, and supporting economic growth across communities.

Thus, home sale programs are not a luxury — they are a structural necessity for many corporate relocations. According to industry data, 90% of companies outsource home sales as part of their relocation programs. This is the most commonly outsourced element of the relocation function, precisely because it requires specialized expertise, established vendor relationships, and dedicated operational infrastructure; exactly what RMCs like Altair provide.

Critically, RMCs are not investors. We do not purchase homes to profit from real estate or hold properties as long-term assets. We acquire homes temporarily, solely to facilitate an employment-related move, then resell them as quickly as possible. The nature of the mobility business is the movement of people — not the accumulation of property.

As of April 2026, the House and Senate remain at an impasse. Here are the most likely paths forward, and what each would mean for corporate relocation home sale programs:

Scenario 1: Conference Committee

The House and Senate work together — formally or informally — to reconcile the two versions of the bill. This represents the best opportunity to incorporate language that explicitly carves out relocation-related home sale programs. House committee leadership and some Senate members are open to this approach.

Scenario 2: One Chamber Forces Its Version

Either the Senate pushes the House to accept the Senate-passed version as-is, or the House drafts its own revised version and sends it to the Senate. In this scenario, advocacy for clear exclusionary language for corporate relocation home sale and ensuring the intent of Congress is codified in report language becomes critical, even if formal text changes are not possible.

Scenario 3: The Bill Stalls

Due to the ongoing standoff between the chambers, the legislation fails to advance and does not become law. While this would protect corporate relocation home sale programs in the short term, it leaves the underlying policy question unresolved.

The Wild Card: Executive Action

Even if Congress does not pass legislation, President Trump’s administration has signaled openness to acting unilaterally. The Statement of Administration Policy on the Senate-amended bill states that if the Senate version were presented to the President in its current form, “his advisors would recommend that he sign it into law.” There is also the possibility of executive orders or administrative actions that could bypass the legislative process entirely.

Altair is part of a coordinated, industry-wide effort led by WERC to educate legislators and advocate for clear exclusions for employer-sponsored home sale programs. Here is what is already underway:

Legislative Engagement

• WERC has held in-person meetings with Rep. Mike Flood (R-NE) and majority committee staff members on the House Financial Services Committee.
• Virtual and in-person outreach has been conducted with key housing staffers for multiple committee members, both directly and with WERC member participation.
• WERC has engaged with the U.S. Government’s General Services Administration (GSA) ERRC team to address impacts on government-administered relocation programs.
• Engagement continues with the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and its relevant subcommittees.

Industry Letter Campaign

WERC has organized a coordinated letter campaign, with RMCs, real estate brokerages, and other industry stakeholders reaching out to their applicable House and Senate members using a standardized template. Altair employees have participated in this campaign, and we are encouraging our clients and supplier partners to do the same.

WERC’s Specific Legislative Ask

WERC is seeking the addition of the following exclusion in Section 901(a)(2) of H.R. 6644:

“(K) acquired pursuant to an employer-sponsored home sale relocation program(s) whereby an employer, either directly or via a third-party relocation-related entity, temporarily acquires and subsequently sells a residential home solely to facilitate an employment-related move and not as an investment strategy“

This language directly addresses the risk without undermining the bill’s core objective of improving housing affordability.

Sign-On Letter

WERC has launched an organizational sign-on letter directed to committee offices and the administration. Organizations can add their names as signatories in support of the exclusion. The sign-on remains active even past the initial April 8 deadline as organizations work through their internal approval processes.

The good news: industry efforts to date have gotten this issue onto the radar of key Congressional offices. Members and staff are consistently recognizing that employer-sponsored relocation home sale programs are not the intended target of this legislation. But the situation remains fluid, and sustained engagement is what will make the difference.

Here is how you can help:

1. Engage Your Company’s Government Affairs Team

If your organization has a government affairs or public policy function, make sure they are aware of this issue. They may be well-positioned to reach out to Congressional offices directly on behalf of your company or to add your organization’s name to the WERC sign-on letter.

2. Contact Your Congressional Representatives

Whether you act personally or encourage your team to do so, reaching out to your U.S. Senators and House Representative is one of the most direct ways to make your voice heard. WERC has prepared a ready-to-use letter template to make this process as straightforward as possible. Key steps:

• Contact your Altair representative or email us at [email protected] to receive a copy of the letter template.
• Navigate to each representative’s website and locate their contact/message form.
• Use WERC’s template letter, personalizing it where indicated. (Note: some representative websites have character limits, so be prepared to adapt the length of the message if needed.)
• Select the topic “Housing” and the subject line: H.R. 6644 – Protect the Ability of U.S. Workers Moving for Work to Receive Home Sale Support from their Employers.

3. Encourage Your Employees to Engage

Your employees, particularly those who have relocated and benefited from your employer-sponsored home sale program, have a compelling, personal story to tell. Encouraging them to contact their own representatives adds authentic constituent voices to the advocacy effort.

The talent mobility industry is not opposed to housing affordability reform. In fact, improving housing inventory and affordability directly benefits workforce mobility; that is, when employees can find and afford homes, relocations become easier for everyone. We share the administration’s and Congress’s goals.

What we are asking for is precision; for black and white clarity on the RMC’s role in this matter. A clear, narrow exemption for employer-sponsored home sale programs would protect American workers and their families without undermining the legislation’s broader objectives.

If you have questions about how this legislation could affect your specific corporate relocation program, or if you would like support in understanding your options, please reach out to your Altair Global Representative. We are monitoring this situation closely and are here to help you navigate it.