Professional home appraisers will once again be permitted to donate their services to Habitat for Humanity thanks to new legislation signed by the president today. The HOME Act, which permits donated appraisals to nonprofit housing developers, was included in a package of financial reform legislation that Congress gave final approval to last week.

“This bill will help us keep affordable housing affordable,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “Across the United States, Habitat volunteers build thousands of new homes alongside homebuyers every year. By ensuring that professional appraisers are also able to volunteer their services, this legislation will help keep loan origination fees low for new homebuyers. That’s good news for people buying Habitat homes, and it’s good news for the local Habitat organizations across the nation that will be able to use the savings to build, rehabilitate and repair more homes.”

The HOME Act was included in S. 2155, the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief and Consumer Protection Act. Originally introduced in the Senate by Sens. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and in the House by Rep. Dave Trott, R-Mich., the legislation modifies a provision of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law to clarify that professional home appraisers are permitted to donate their services to nonprofit housing developers like Habitat.