HR 3060119th CongressIn Committee

No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025

Introduced: Apr 29, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The No Biometric Barriers to Housing Act of 2025 would bar owners of federally assisted rental housing from using biometric recognition technologies in and around covered units after a one-year enactment period. This includes facial recognition, physical biometrics (like fingerprints or DNA), and remote biometrics (such as gait or voice) if their use could surveil tenants or otherwise hinder fair, unbiased access to affordable housing. The bill applies to a broad set of HUD-supported housing programs, defining “covered federally assisted rental dwelling unit” to include public housing, Section 8, HOME, McKinney-Vento programs, Housing Trust Fund, elderly and disabled housing, AIDS housing, and Native American and Native Hawaiian housing initiatives. The act also requires the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to deliver a public report to Congress within one year of enactment. The report would detail any known past or current use of biometric tech in these units, related adverse effects, the impact on residents, the purposes for using such tech, and demographic information about residents and surrounding areas, with special attention to vulnerable communities and fair housing considerations.

Key Points

1Prohibition after one year: Owners of covered federally assisted rental units may not use facial recognition, physical biometric recognition, or remote biometric recognition technology in or around those units for surveillance or any purpose that harms tenants’ ability to access affordable housing free from bias and discrimination.
2Wide scope of covered units: The ban applies to housing tied to numerous HUD programs, including public housing, Section 8 rental assistance, HOME, McKinney-Vento programs, Housing Trust Fund, supportive housing for elderly and disabled, AIDS housing, and Native American and Native Hawaiian housing initiatives.
3Broad definitions of biometric tech: The bill defines facial recognition, physical biometrics (DNA, fingerprints, palmprints, iris/retina), and remote biometrics (gait, voice, or distance-based characteristics) as technologies prohibited by the act.
4Clarified terms: The act defines what counts as “assistance” (various forms of financial aid but excludes loan/mortgage insurance or guarantees) and who counts as an “owner” (private entities, cooperatives, government agencies, or public housing authorities with leasing rights).
5Reporting requirement: HUD must submit a comprehensive report to Congress within one year, detailing past usage, adverse effects, resident impact, purpose of installation, demographic data, and potential impacts on vulnerable communities and fair housing.
6Public availability: The report must also be publicly accessible on HUD’s website.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Tenants and residents of covered federally assisted rental housing, including vulnerable populations protected under fair housing principles (e.g., racial/ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities, the elderly, homeless individuals, Native communities).Secondary group/area affected- Owners and managers of covered housing units (private entities, cooperatives, public housing authorities) who would need to comply with the prohibition and adjust security or access practices accordingly.- Federal, state, and local housing policymakers and HUD program administrators responsible for implementing the prohibition and monitoring compliance.Additional impacts- Privacy and civil rights: Enhanced protection against surveillance and profiling in federally funded housing, with potential improvements to privacy and non-discrimination in housing access.- Compliance and implementation: Housing providers may need to revise security practices and data policies, potentially increasing administrative/operational costs and requiring new training.- Data transparency: The mandatory HUD report would inform Congress and the public about the prevalence and effects of biometric tech in affordable housing, influencing future policy decisions.

Generated by gpt-5-nano on Nov 19, 2025