Official source comparison

Observed versions 225 & 226

The extracted text differs.

Reports News from the GAO Reports News from the GAO. https://www.gao.gov/rss/reports.xml Tue, 10 Nov 2026 09:43:19 -0500 GAO https://www.gao.gov/themes/custom/gao_uswds/img/gao-logo-rss.gif Reports News from the GAO https://www.gao.gov/rss/reports.xml Feed provided by GAO. Housing Construction Innovations: Technologies and Policy Options to Help Increase Supply and Affordability https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108037 What GAO Found Numerous housing construction technologies could help improve production, reduce costs, and potentially increase supply and affordability. Some technologies are mature but not widely adopted, and others are new or emerging. These technologies can be grouped into three categories: planning and design, construction means and methods, and building materials and components. Examples are shown in the figure below. Examples of housing construction technologies Benefits of housing construction technologies such as these may include: Faster construction and enhanced efficiency. For example, building a house or some of its components off-site in an efficient, controlled environment can reduce the overall project time. Reduced costs. For example, automated technologies that cut lumber to precise dimensions can reduce costs by minimizing waste. Improved decision-making and regulatory oversight. Software tools that use land and regulatory data can help planners understand how local policy decisions can inform housing construction outcomes. Challenges limiting broader adoption and use of construction technologies include: Regulatory challenges. More than 20,000 jurisdictions administer residential building codes, requiring significant time, labor, and money to comply. Workforce and education gaps. Training on new technologies requires staff, time, and money that builders may not have. Financial challenges. New technologies can have high up-front costs that are more than traditional construction methods for both builders and consumers. GAO identified five policy subgoals and 14 associated policy options related to the broad goal of increasing housing supply and improving affordability (see below). These policy options are a set of alternative actions that policymakers, such as legislative bodies, government agencies, standards-setting organizations, industry, and other groups, could consider taking. Policy Subgoals and Policy Options to Help Increase Housing Supply and Improve Affordability Using Construction Technologies Subgoal: Streamline regulatory processes Policy options: Establish state or regional building code authority with interstate reciprocity for off-site-constructed housing (report page 24) Develop regulatory pathways for new technologies (report page 25) Standardize oversize load permitting for interstate transportation of housing modules or components (report page 25) Support zoning and development conditions that enable innovative housing construction (report page 26) Implement and scale preapproved housing design libraries (report page 27) Subgoal: Reduce financial barriers Policy options: Provide financial incentives for housing suppliers to use innovative methods (report page 28) Provide financial incentives and products to support consumers (report page 29) Subgoal: Increase housing production capacity through education and training Policy options: Expand vocational and technical education pathways for innovative construction (report page 31) Engage labor unions as partners in expanding the off-site construction workforce (report page 32) Train and certify building inspectors and code officials in innovative construction methods (report page 33) Subgoal: Increase public acceptance of innovative housing options Policy option: Support public education campaigns on housing construction technologies (report page 34) Subgoal: Optimize government resources and leadership Policy options: Increase government support for technology adoption (report page 35) Build a national housing construction data infrastructure (report page 36) Prioritize federal research and development activities to better support housing construction technologies (report page 37) Source: GAO. | GAO-27-108037 Why GAO Did This Study Housing affordability is a top concern for many Americans, as high housing costs can lead to adverse economic and social effects. Owners and renters have seen housing costs increase faster than other consumer prices and income, straining household budgets. While housing construction is a near-trillion-dollar industry, limited inventory contributes to housing unaffordability, as potential homebuyers and renters compete to purchase or rent housing. GAO reviewed technologies that could help improve production and reduce costs of housing. This report examines (1) current and emerging technologies that could help increase supply and affordability of housing, (2) benefits and challenges associated with these technologies in comparison to traditional construction methods, and (3) policy options that could support various policy goals related to these technologies. To conduct this technology assessment, GAO reviewed relevant literature, documents, and reports; interviewed officials and representatives from government, industry, academia, nonprofits, and trade associations; conducted site visits; attended conferences; and convened a 2-day meeting of 17 experts. For more information, contact Karen L. Howard at howardk@gao.gov. Tue, 10 Nov 2026 07:01:12 -0500 /products/gao-27-108037 Veteran Lending: Early Planning Is Critical to Assessing VA’s New Foreclosure Avoidance Program https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108908 What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Partial Claim Program is intended to help borrowers with VA-guaranteed loans avoid foreclosure. Under this new program, VA reimburses the loan servicer for a borrower’s missed payments and certain fees, allowing the borrower to become current on the loan. The borrower repays that amount—the partial claim—without interest when they sell or refinance the home, when they pay off the loan, or when the loan reaches maturity. The servicer collects the payment and sends it to VA. How the VA Partial Claim Program Works VA previously offered a temporary partial claim program to help borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and drew on that experience in implementing the new program. According to VA, under that program VA and servicers encountered documentation problems and difficulty tracking partial claim amounts. To address these issues, VA changed the program model and revised its application and payment processes. VA expects these changes to reduce administrative costs. VA has taken steps to implement the Partial Claim Program. These include developing policies and processes, soliciting stakeholder feedback, hosting training, developing oversight policies, and modifying its data system. The program became effective on June 15, 2026, although servicers have until November 28, 2026, to finish implementing the program. VA officials said they intend to begin analyzing program trends and outcomes in December 2027. VA has planned a high-level approach to assessing program effectiveness but has not developed a comprehensive plan to do so. For example, VA’s planned approach does not isolate the program’s effects on borrowers or consider program design questions. Without a comprehensive plan, VA and Congress will not have timely and credible evaluation results needed to make decisions about the program and identify changes that could improve outcomes for veteran borrowers, help prevent foreclosure, and reduce costs to taxpayers. Early planning is critical because the program is authorized for 5 years, ending July 30, 2030, and requires congressional reauthorization to continue. Early planning is also important to ensure VA collects the data needed for any evaluations. Why GAO Did This Study VA guarantees millions of home loans and bears financial risk when borrowers default and homes are foreclosed upon. In July 2025, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act authorized VA to plan and administer the VA Partial Claim Program for 5 years. The Continuing Appropriations Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, requires GAO to report on the VA Partial Claim Program annually. This first report examines (1) how VA used lessons learned from previous loss mitigation programs to develop the Partial Claim Program and the steps VA has taken to implement it and (2) the extent to which VA followed key program evaluation practices. GAO reviewed VA policies, processes, and plans related to the VA Partial Claim Program and assessed VA’s efforts against Office of Management and Budget program evaluation standards. GAO interviewed VA officials and representatives of 10 organizations, including lenders and servicers, trade associations, consumer advocacy organizations, and veteran advocacy organizations, selected because of their high loan volume or subject-matter expertise. GAO also analyzed VA data from January 2022 through June 2026 and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data from 2022 through 2025 (the latest data available). Tue, 10 Nov 2026 07:06:50 -0500 /products/gao-27-108908 Multilateral Banks: Treasury Should Improve Consistency and Transparency of Decisions on Projects Affecting U.S. Producers https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108667 What GAO Found The U.S. provides funds and participates in multilateral development banks (MDBs), which support overseas projects that may compete with U.S. producers. GAO found that Treasury’s project review process has gaps in defining and applying criteria for assessing three key provisions in the statute, all of which must be met to trigger the requirement that Treasury oppose an MDB project. For example, Treasury has criteria for assessing whether a commodity or mineral is in surplus on world markets, but it rarely applies it, according to Treasury officials. Also, Treasury does not have criteria for assessing “substantial injury” to U.S. producers. Developing and applying such criteria would better position Treasury to ensure the consistency of its voting decisions and, as a result, its implementation of the statute. Without criteria, Treasury could take different positions on project proposals with similar circumstances because assessments rely on subjective judgment rather than consistent standards. This could put Treasury at risk of unintentionally affecting U.S. producers. Treasury supported most of the projects that GAO determined were related to commodities or minerals for export relevant to the statute from January 2015 - August 2025. Treasury made more than 11,000 votes on MDB projects during this period and supported 83 percent of the 340 projects that were likely covered by the statute. However, Treasury does not include information in the public voting records about which projects it considered as relevant to the statute. Doing so would enhance transparency for industries that may be adversely affected by MDB projects. GAO found evidence that MDB-financed projects may be one of several factors that contributed to injury to U.S. producers in the shrimp industry, one of GAO’s two case studies. Specifically, MDB-supported aquaculture projects in Ecuador led to more shrimp imports and may have contributed to lower prices in the U.S., which adversely affected U.S. producers. GAO did not identify evidence linking MDB projects to challenges affecting U.S. rice producers. Shrimp and rice industry stakeholders and available data suggest that both industries have faced a range of other challenges unrelated to MDB-supported projects, such as market competition, regulatory requirements, and environmental conditions. Abandoned Shrimp Boat in Louisiana and Rice Grower Displaying Rice in Arkansas Why GAO Did This Study Congress enacted 22 U.S.C. § 262h directing Treasury to instruct U.S. Executive Directors at intern

Reports News from the GAO Reports News from the GAO. https://www.gao.gov/rss/reports.xml Tue, 10 Nov 2026 10:58:23 -0500 GAO https://www.gao.gov/themes/custom/gao_uswds/img/gao-logo-rss.gif Reports News from the GAO https://www.gao.gov/rss/reports.xml Feed provided by GAO. Housing Construction Innovations: Technologies and Policy Options to Help Increase Supply and Affordability https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108037 What GAO Found Numerous housing construction technologies could help improve production, reduce costs, and potentially increase supply and affordability. Some technologies are mature but not widely adopted, and others are new or emerging. These technologies can be grouped into three categories: planning and design, construction means and methods, and building materials and components. Examples are shown in the figure below. Examples of housing construction technologies Benefits of housing construction technologies such as these may include: Faster construction and enhanced efficiency. For example, building a house or some of its components off-site in an efficient, controlled environment can reduce the overall project time. Reduced costs. For example, automated technologies that cut lumber to precise dimensions can reduce costs by minimizing waste. Improved decision-making and regulatory oversight. Software tools that use land and regulatory data can help planners understand how local policy decisions can inform housing construction outcomes. Challenges limiting broader adoption and use of construction technologies include: Regulatory challenges. More than 20,000 jurisdictions administer residential building codes, requiring significant time, labor, and money to comply. Workforce and education gaps. Training on new technologies requires staff, time, and money that builders may not have. Financial challenges. New technologies can have high up-front costs that are more than traditional construction methods for both builders and consumers. GAO identified five policy subgoals and 14 associated policy options related to the broad goal of increasing housing supply and improving affordability (see below). These policy options are a set of alternative actions that policymakers, such as legislative bodies, government agencies, standards-setting organizations, industry, and other groups, could consider taking. Policy Subgoals and Policy Options to Help Increase Housing Supply and Improve Affordability Using Construction Technologies Subgoal: Streamline regulatory processes Policy options: Establish state or regional building code authority with interstate reciprocity for off-site-constructed housing (report page 24) Develop regulatory pathways for new technologies (report page 25) Standardize oversize load permitting for interstate transportation of housing modules or components (report page 25) Support zoning and development conditions that enable innovative housing construction (report page 26) Implement and scale preapproved housing design libraries (report page 27) Subgoal: Reduce financial barriers Policy options: Provide financial incentives for housing suppliers to use innovative methods (report page 28) Provide financial incentives and products to support consumers (report page 29) Subgoal: Increase housing production capacity through education and training Policy options: Expand vocational and technical education pathways for innovative construction (report page 31) Engage labor unions as partners in expanding the off-site construction workforce (report page 32) Train and certify building inspectors and code officials in innovative construction methods (report page 33) Subgoal: Increase public acceptance of innovative housing options Policy option: Support public education campaigns on housing construction technologies (report page 34) Subgoal: Optimize government resources and leadership Policy options: Increase government support for technology adoption (report page 35) Build a national housing construction data infrastructure (report page 36) Prioritize federal research and development activities to better support housing construction technologies (report page 37) Source: GAO. | GAO-27-108037 Why GAO Did This Study Housing affordability is a top concern for many Americans, as high housing costs can lead to adverse economic and social effects. Owners and renters have seen housing costs increase faster than other consumer prices and income, straining household budgets. While housing construction is a near-trillion-dollar industry, limited inventory contributes to housing unaffordability, as potential homebuyers and renters compete to purchase or rent housing. GAO reviewed technologies that could help improve production and reduce costs of housing. This report examines (1) current and emerging technologies that could help increase supply and affordability of housing, (2) benefits and challenges associated with these technologies in comparison to traditional construction methods, and (3) policy options that could support various policy goals related to these technologies. To conduct this technology assessment, GAO reviewed relevant literature, documents, and reports; interviewed officials and representatives from government, industry, academia, nonprofits, and trade associations; conducted site visits; attended conferences; and convened a 2-day meeting of 17 experts. For more information, contact Karen L. Howard at howardk@gao.gov. Tue, 10 Nov 2026 07:01:12 -0500 /products/gao-27-108037 Veteran Lending: Early Planning Is Critical to Assessing VA’s New Foreclosure Avoidance Program https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108908 What GAO Found The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) Partial Claim Program is intended to help borrowers with VA-guaranteed loans avoid foreclosure. Under this new program, VA reimburses the loan servicer for a borrower’s missed payments and certain fees, allowing the borrower to become current on the loan. The borrower repays that amount—the partial claim—without interest when they sell or refinance the home, when they pay off the loan, or when the loan reaches maturity. The servicer collects the payment and sends it to VA. How the VA Partial Claim Program Works VA previously offered a temporary partial claim program to help borrowers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and drew on that experience in implementing the new program. According to VA, under that program VA and servicers encountered documentation problems and difficulty tracking partial claim amounts. To address these issues, VA changed the program model and revised its application and payment processes. VA expects these changes to reduce administrative costs. VA has taken steps to implement the Partial Claim Program. These include developing policies and processes, soliciting stakeholder feedback, hosting training, developing oversight policies, and modifying its data system. The program became effective on June 15, 2026, although servicers have until November 28, 2026, to finish implementing the program. VA officials said they intend to begin analyzing program trends and outcomes in December 2027. VA has planned a high-level approach to assessing program effectiveness but has not developed a comprehensive plan to do so. For example, VA’s planned approach does not isolate the program’s effects on borrowers or consider program design questions. Without a comprehensive plan, VA and Congress will not have timely and credible evaluation results needed to make decisions about the program and identify changes that could improve outcomes for veteran borrowers, help prevent foreclosure, and reduce costs to taxpayers. Early planning is critical because the program is authorized for 5 years, ending July 30, 2030, and requires congressional reauthorization to continue. Early planning is also important to ensure VA collects the data needed for any evaluations. Why GAO Did This Study VA guarantees millions of home loans and bears financial risk when borrowers default and homes are foreclosed upon. In July 2025, the VA Home Loan Program Reform Act authorized VA to plan and administer the VA Partial Claim Program for 5 years. The Continuing Appropriations Agriculture, Legislative Branch, Military Construction, and Veterans Affairs, and Extensions Act, 2026, requires GAO to report on the VA Partial Claim Program annually. This first report examines (1) how VA used lessons learned from previous loss mitigation programs to develop the Partial Claim Program and the steps VA has taken to implement it and (2) the extent to which VA followed key program evaluation practices. GAO reviewed VA policies, processes, and plans related to the VA Partial Claim Program and assessed VA’s efforts against Office of Management and Budget program evaluation standards. GAO interviewed VA officials and representatives of 10 organizations, including lenders and servicers, trade associations, consumer advocacy organizations, and veteran advocacy organizations, selected because of their high loan volume or subject-matter expertise. GAO also analyzed VA data from January 2022 through June 2026 and Home Mortgage Disclosure Act data from 2022 through 2025 (the latest data available). Tue, 10 Nov 2026 07:06:50 -0500 /products/gao-27-108908 Multilateral Banks: Treasury Should Improve Consistency and Transparency of Decisions on Projects Affecting U.S. Producers https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-27-108667 What GAO Found The U.S. provides funds and participates in multilateral development banks (MDBs), which support overseas projects that may compete with U.S. producers. GAO found that Treasury’s project review process has gaps in defining and applying criteria for assessing three key provisions in the statute, all of which must be met to trigger the requirement that Treasury oppose an MDB project. For example, Treasury has criteria for assessing whether a commodity or mineral is in surplus on world markets, but it rarely applies it, according to Treasury officials. Also, Treasury does not have criteria for assessing “substantial injury” to U.S. producers. Developing and applying such criteria would better position Treasury to ensure the consistency of its voting decisions and, as a result, its implementation of the statute. Without criteria, Treasury could take different positions on project proposals with similar circumstances because assessments rely on subjective judgment rather than consistent standards. This could put Treasury at risk of unintentionally affecting U.S. producers. Treasury supported most of the projects that GAO determined were related to commodities or minerals for export relevant to the statute from January 2015 - August 2025. Treasury made more than 11,000 votes on MDB projects during this period and supported 83 percent of the 340 projects that were likely covered by the statute. However, Treasury does not include information in the public voting records about which projects it considered as relevant to the statute. Doing so would enhance transparency for industries that may be adversely affected by MDB projects. GAO found evidence that MDB-financed projects may be one of several factors that contributed to injury to U.S. producers in the shrimp industry, one of GAO’s two case studies. Specifically, MDB-supported aquaculture projects in Ecuador led to more shrimp imports and may have contributed to lower prices in the U.S., which adversely affected U.S. producers. GAO did not identify evidence linking MDB projects to challenges affecting U.S. rice producers. Shrimp and rice industry stakeholders and available data suggest that both industries have faced a range of other challenges unrelated to MDB-supported projects, such as market competition, regulatory requirements, and environmental conditions. Abandoned Shrimp Boat in Louisiana and Rice Grower Displaying Rice in Arkansas Why GAO Did This Study Congress enacted 22 U.S.C. § 262h directing Treasury to instruct U.S. Executive Directors at intern

Preview limited to 12,000 characters per version. Native snapshots remain available in the source history.