Two Changes Landing on Planning Departments
A plain-language summary of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act and the revised ADA Title II web accessibility deadlines — what each one actually requires, and what it doesn't.
Last reviewed August 6, 2026
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
ROAD stands for Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream. The Act passed the Senate 85–5 and the House 358–32, and became law on July 11, 2026. It is widely described as the most significant federal housing legislation since 1990.
What it changes for a planning department
- Public land inventory. CDBG grantees must stand up and maintain a database of publicly available land within the jurisdiction. Federal funds are available to support the work.
- Performance-based CDBG funding. Some grantees may see funding adjusted against documented housing outcomes — which raises the value of being able to evidence what you approved and how fast.
- HUD best-practice frameworks for zoning and land-use policy. Adoption is voluntary; there is no penalty for declining.
- NEPA streamlining. Federal environmental review for housing is streamlined, with small-scale infill exempted from federal review.
- Manufactured housing. The federal definition of "manufactured home" expands to include homes built without a permanent steel chassis.
Where OpenCivic is relevant
Two of the above are record-keeping problems before they are policy problems: a maintained inventory of public land, and defensible evidence of housing outcomes. OpenCivic already answers parcel-level questions from your own GIS and ordinance with a citation on every answer, and logs every question, answer and source — which is the same material a CDBG performance narrative needs.
Sources: H.R. 6644 (Congress.gov), National League of Cities, Bipartisan Policy Center.
ADA Title II Web Accessibility
The DOJ's Title II rule makes WCAG 2.1 Level AA the binding technical standard for web content and mobile apps operated by state and local government. The rule took effect April 24, 2026. On April 17, 2026 the DOJ issued an interim final rule extending both compliance dates by one year.
Where OpenCivic is relevant
Anything you deploy for public use falls inside that scope, including a resident-facing assistant. OpenCivic is built to WCAG 2.1 AA — keyboard operable, screen-reader labeled, and tested against real assistive-technology paths rather than an automated score alone. See Security & Trust for the full list of standards we design and operate to.
Sources: ADA.gov — Title II web rule, Federal Register — interim final rule.
This page is a summary for orientation, not legal advice. Confirm how either item applies to your jurisdiction with your counsel and your ADA coordinator.