Small Homes Gain Traction in Washington

Update, October 2021: The $1.3 billion small-home pilot program may be included in the Senate’s version of the budget reconciliation bill currently under debate — but we need your help. Click here to download our special Senate outreach template, then click here to find your U.S. senators’ contact information. Tell your elected officials to fund a Green House revolution!

The small home movement received its most prominent boost yet when a group of six U.S. senators introduced the Nursing Home Accountability and Improvement Act of 2021.

Among its many provisions, the bill would create a $1.3 billion demonstration program that would directly fund the creation of new small-home nursing campuses, either through renovations or completely new construction. If passed, the legislation would provide up to $39 million per facility to implement the types of person-centered design features and workforce strategies that Green House homes have long used to provide more empowering care for elders.

The Green House Project wholeheartedly supports this portion of the reform bill and applauds the six lawmakers’ sweeping vision for change. Completely overhauling the nation’s outdated nursing home infrastructure will take significant investments of capital, time, and oversight to ensure that elders remain at the center of all reforms, and this proposed demonstration program offers a blueprint that can be replicated in states across the country.

To learn more about the bill, check out The Green House Project’s quick two-page fact sheet. If you’re feeling inspired, we’ve also prepared a script to follow when reaching out to your federal lawmakers — senators and representatives — to express your support for small-home innovation.