Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands, Forests, and Mining. Hearings held. With printed Hearing: S.Hrg. 117-301.
Congressional Research Service
Official summary
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Apr 7, 2022
Helping Open Underutilized Space to Ensure Shelter Act of 2022 or the HOUSES Act of 2022
This bill authorizes the sale of certain federal land to states and units of local government for projects to provide housing.
Specifically, the bill authorizes a state or unit of local government to nominate, for consideration for conveyance by the Department of the Interior, one or more tracts of public lands within the boundary of the state or unit of local government to carry out an eligible project to provide housing.
Interior may not offer to convey to a unit of local government such a tract until it receives from the governor of the state approval for the conveyance.
Interior may not convey to a state or unit of local government such a tract until the state or unit of local government has in effect any ordinances, statutes, or regulations that are necessary to ensure compliance with the project proposal.
Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
AI Conversation Starters
Explore the bill from different angles
Choose a perspective, copy a prompt, and paste it into your preferred AI. Each prompt includes the bill version and available official source links, and asks for counterarguments as well as supporting evidence.
Neutral evidence review
Objective
Analyze S.4062 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.
View full prompt & sources
Fairness and public impact
Progressive lens
Examine S.4062 through a progressive lens, focusing on fairness, access, economic inequality, and effects on vulnerable communities. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and distinguish stated goals from demonstrated outcomes.
View full prompt & sources
Institutions and government scope
Conservative lens
Examine S.4062 through a conservative lens, focusing on fiscal responsibility, institutional stability, federalism, and the scope of government. Explain potential benefits, costs, and unintended consequences. Consider the strongest counterarguments and any provisions that challenge this perspective.
View full prompt & sources
Individual rights and government power
Liberty lens
Examine S.4062 through a civil-liberties and limited-government lens. Consider individual rights, privacy, voluntary choice, accountability, and government power. Explain tradeoffs, possible safeguards, and the strongest counterarguments without assuming the proposal is beneficial or harmful.