H.R. 10049 — Visitable Inclusive Tax credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act

This section states the purposes of the Act to increase low-income housing tax credits for disability-accessible and affordable housing, ensure states use the credits to meet needs of aging populations and households with disabilities, encourage community integration for older adults and underserved groups, and expand technical assistance on the low-income housing credit program and related housing needs.

This section makes findings that by 2060 one in four Americans will be over age 65, that 26 percent of people have a disability while less than 6 percent of housing is accessible, that more than 7 million older adults and people with disabilities receive Supplemental Security Income and face rental affordability barriers nationwide, and that over 89 percent of adults aged 65 and over prefer to remain in their homes.

This section increases the annual per capita state allocation for the low-income housing tax credit to $4.25 (from $1.75) for calendar year 2026, with subsequent cost-of-living adjustments, and increases the minimum state allocation to $4,876,000 (from $2,000,000) for calendar year 2026, with adjustments, effective for calendar years beginning after December 31, 2025.

This section increases the eligible basis, to 150 percent of the otherwise applicable amount, for the portion of a qualified low-income housing building comprised of units designated for persons with disabilities. The increase applies only when at least 50 percent of the building’s low-income units meet Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards, the building is located in a census block group the Environmental Protection Agency designates as above-average or better in walkability (or adjacent to two or more such tracts), and the housing credit agency determines the increase is necessary for financial feasibility. The change applies to buildings receiving housing credit allocations after December 31, 2026.

This section requires qualified allocation plans under the low-income housing tax credit to ensure that, over any 3-year period, at least 40 percent of allocated low-income units are in projects serving households with people with disabilities (i.e., those meeting the requirements of section 42(d)(5)(C)(i)(I)). Units in projects meeting both subclauses (I) and (II) of that provision count twice toward the ratio. The requirement applies to plans adopted after December 31, 2026.