Fha Financing: everything we know so far
HUD Secretary Scott Turner rescinded a 2024 rule tying FHA and USDA new construction loans to 2021 IECC compliance.

UNITED STATES —
HUD Secretary Scott Turner rescinded a 2024 rule tying FHA and USDA new construction loans to 2021 IECC compliance. Fha Financing has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in United States.
Key facts
- HUD Secretary Scott Turner rescinded a 2024 rule tying FHA and USDA new construction loans to 2021 IECC compliance.
- “If a home was to receive an FHA or USDA mortgage, it was deemed ineligible if it did not comply with the IECC,” Turner said. “Today, I am rescinding this onerous rule because it literally can bring an increase of $20,000 to $31,000 per single-family project.”
- Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner said the agency is rescinding energy-efficiency requirements tied to loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and U.S.
- A 2024 rule under the Biden administration had made new homes ineligible for FHA or USDA mortgages unless they complied with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which imposed stricter building standards.
- The FHA and USDA loan programs will comply with the energy efficiency standards that were in effect prior to the publication of the 2024 rule.
What we know
Going deeper, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner said the agency is rescinding energy-efficiency requirements tied to loans backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and U.S.
On the substance, a 2024 rule under the Biden administration had made new homes ineligible for FHA or USDA mortgages unless they complied with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which imposed stricter building standards.
Beyond the headlines, the FHA and USDA loan programs will comply with the energy efficiency standards that were in effect prior to the publication of the 2024 rule.
More precisely, the Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture on Tuesday repealed a Biden administration policy that would require federally-backed mortgages to adhere to updated energy efficiency codes, requirements that homebuilders claimed add more than $20,000 to the cost of homes.
It is worth noting that Turner announced the move Tuesday at HousingWire’s The Gathering in Austin.
By the numbers
“If a home was to receive an FHA or USDA mortgage, it was deemed ineligible if it did not comply with the IECC,” Turner said. “Today, I am rescinding this onerous rule because it literally can bring an increase of $20,000 to $31,000 per single-family project.”
On a related note, According to him, the average price of a home in some areas is $300,000, but the median price is $400,000.
Going deeper, But what they didn’t revise, or didn’t say, is that it is going to take 90 years to do that,” he added.
On the substance, In July 2025, HUD and USDA issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking additional comment from stakeholders to help inform the agencies’ review of the 2024 standard.According to the HUD and USDA, the move is in alignment with a recent ruling from the U.S.
What they're saying
“The Trump administration’s focus is to facilitate new housing supply and ensure that every American family has a path to homeownership without being sidelined by bureaucratic red tape,” HUD Secretary Scott Turner said in a statement.
“Compliance with the rule would have placed significant new cost pressures on home builders and multifamily developers, making it harder to deliver the affordable, attainable communities that are urgently needed,” Owens said.
The wider context
On a related note, the Trump administration rescinded a policy that would require federally-backed mortgages to adhere to updated energy efficiency codes.
Going deeper, In 2024, the Biden administration finalized a rule requiring all new construction homes to use the most up-to-date 2021 energy efficiency codes in order to qualify for federal loans from HUD and USDA.
On the substance, the administration at the time said the stricter codes would apply to about one-sixth of all homes built each year, and would yield savings for homeowners over time of about 35%.
Beyond the headlines, HUD noted that the Trump administration has since delayed the compliance data for the 2024 rule.
More precisely, the department claims that enforcing the Biden administration standards could result in an increase in home construction costs from $20,000 to $31,000, citing figures provided by the industry.
The bottom line
- A 2024 rule under the Biden administration had made new homes ineligible for FHA or USDA mortgages unless they complied with the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), which imposed stricter building standards.
- The FHA and USDA loan programs will comply with the energy efficiency standards that were in effect prior to the publication of the 2024 rule.
- The Departments of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture on Tuesday repealed a Biden administration policy that would require federally-backed mortgages to adhere to updated energy efficiency codes, requirements that homebuilders claimed add more than $20,000 to the cost of homes.
- Searches spiking right now: Current Mortgage Rates: April 27 to May 1, 2026, FHA, USDA Lending Opens Up After HUD Scraps Energy Standards Rule, Ginnie Mae to pause counting FHA TPP loans as delinquent, What is an FHA loan and how does it work?.







