Committee approves HB1005 to prioritize housing infrastructure and permit review options

The Indiana Senate committee chaired by Senator Buck approved House Bill 1005 as amended during a committee hearing, advancing the measure by a 9-1 roll call after testimony from business groups, manufactured-housing representatives and local-government advocates.

The bill matters because it ties state infrastructure loan priority to local land-use actions while changing how plan review and inspections may be provided. Supporters said the changes will speed housing production; critics warned affordability decisions are left to local governments.

Carol Auslander, with Torchbearer Public Affairs representing the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, told the committee, "The Indiana Chamber supports House Bill 1005, and housing is an issue that our members are extremely passionate about, and it continues to impact workforce attraction and retention across the state." Auslander described the bill's prioritization language for the Residential Housing Infrastructure Assistance Fund and said that Round 1 of the fund "awarded $51,000,000 to support the construction of approximately 2,000 homes across Indiana," with Round 2 totaling "around $31,000,000" in additional investments in…