Housing Stability, Wage Alignment, Small Business Protection, Justice System Reform, Family Stability, and Childcare Infrastructure

Section 1: Purpose
The purpose of this Order is to realign housing costs, wages, economic incentives, justice system practices, and family supports to restore long-term stability for American families, prevent homelessness, protect small businesses, ensure housing remains affordable, end the extraction of wealth from individuals under correctional supervision, protect the integrity of families with minor children, and lay the groundwork for a comprehensive childcare system that values both families and the workers who serve them.
This Order establishes measurable housing stability guardrails, phased wage alignment mechanisms, targeted small business transition protections, comprehensive justice system fee reforms, corporate accountability measures, family-centered protections, and a framework for future childcare infrastructure reform.

Section 2: Definitions
For the purposes of this Order:
(a) "Gross monthly income" means income before any deductions, including wages, salaries, tips, and commissions, averaged over the preceding 12 months for full-time workers within a region.
(b) "Full-time worker" means an individual employed an average of 35 hours or more per week.
(c) "Region" means a Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, or, for non-metropolitan areas, county-level economic regions as determined by the Task Force.
(d) "Modest housing" means rental housing meeting applicable habitability standards and sized appropriately for household composition, not exceeding luxury classifications.
(e) "Fair Market Rent (FMR)" means the HUD-determined rent at the 40th percentile for standard quality units within a region.
(f) "Private equity control" means ownership, management, or control by an entity primarily engaged in investment fund management, including but not limited to private equity funds, hedge funds, real estate investment trusts (REITs) with extraction-based business models, or institutional investment vehicles.
(g) "Supervision fees" means any monthly fees, monitoring costs, drug testing fees, or administrative charges imposed on individuals under parole, probation, or pretrial supervision.
(h) "Technical violation" means a violation of supervision conditions that does not involve a new criminal offense.
(i) "Primary caregiver" means an individual with primary responsibility for the care, custody, and control of a minor child, including biological parents, adoptive parents, legal guardians, and grandparent or kinship caregivers.
(j) "Household with minor children" means any residential unit occupied by one or more adults and one or more individuals under the age of 18.
(k) "Childcare worker" means any individual employed in the care, education, or supervision of children in a licensed or regulated childcare setting, including center-based workers, family childcare providers, and assistant teachers.

Section 3: National Housing Stability Guardrail
3.1 Affordability Trigger Standard
Housing costs shall not exceed 30 percent of gross monthly income for a full-time worker within a given region, based on Fair Market Rent for modest housing sized appropriately for household composition.
If regional rent-to-income ratios exceed this threshold for two consecutive reporting periods, automatic federal stabilization measures shall be triggered, including:
• Accelerated cost-based housing development
• Targeted affordability incentives
• Review of large-scale residential acquisitions by institutional investors to assess impacts on local affordability and market concentration
• Temporary rental stabilization tools where necessary
3.2 Family-Sized Housing Adjustment
For households with minor children, the affordability calculation in Section 3.1 shall be based on Fair Market Rent for units sized according to HUD occupancy standards (two persons per bedroom), rather than efficiency or one-bedroom units. Regional rent-to-income ratios for family-sized units shall be tracked separately on the Stability Dashboard.
3.3 National Stability Goal
The long-term national housing stability goal shall be to reduce housing costs toward 25 percent of gross monthly income, enabling families to save, invest, and live without chronic financial stress.
3.4 Public Stability Dashboard
A national Housing & Economic Stability Dashboard is hereby established and shall be updated quarterly, displaying:
• Median regional wages
• Median regional rents
• Rent-to-income ratios, including separate tracking for family-sized units
• Unsheltered homelessness levels
• Eviction filing rates
• Housing ownership concentration levels
• Number of individuals under supervision with fee-based obligations
• Average monthly fees as percentage of income
• Number of technical violations resulting from fee non-payment
• Number of returns to custody for poverty-based violations
• Number of children with a parent under supervision (as specified in Section 10)
• Median wages for childcare workers by region
• Childcare worker turnover rates
• Percentage of childcare workers relying on public assistance
Transparency shall serve as a public accountability mechanism.
3.5 Tenant Protection During Transition
During the implementation period, landlords receiving federal benefits, contracts, or grants shall be prohibited from:
• Initiating no-cause evictions
• Increasing rents above regional wage growth rates or CPI, whichever is lower
• Retaliating against tenants who report housing code violations
The Task Force shall develop model tenant protection guidelines for voluntary adoption by non-participating landlords.

Section 4: Phased Wage Alignment Framework
4.1 Regional Living Wage Baseline
The minimum wage in each region shall be calculated annually to ensure that a full-time worker earning that wage can afford a modest efficiency or one-bedroom housing unit within the 30 percent affordability guardrail established in Section 3.
This calculation shall use the HUD Fair Market Rent (FMR) for efficiency or one-bedroom units in the region, divided by 0.30, then divided by 2080 annual work hours, rounded to the nearest dollar.
Formula: Minimum Wage = (Fair Market Rent ÷ 0.30) ÷ 2080 hours
4.2 Caregiver Supplement Consideration
The Task Force shall study and report within 18 months on the feasibility of a regional wage supplement for single primary caregivers, accounting for regional childcare costs and household size, to ensure that a full-time working caregiver can afford both modest family-sized housing and basic childcare expenses within the 30 percent affordability guardrail.
4.3 Phased Implementation
Wage increases shall be implemented in structured phases over a defined transition period not to exceed five years to prevent economic shock.
Adjustments shall be data-driven and calibrated based on:
• Regional rent growth
• Small business viability metrics
• Employment stability
• Inflation trends
• Regional economic absorption capacity
4.4 Automatic Review Mechanism
If wage growth outpaces rent growth sustainably and affordability stabilizes within national guardrails, adjustment mechanisms may be paused or recalibrated.
This framework shall prioritize alignment over rigidity.

Section 5: Small Business Wage Transition & Stability Grant Program
5.1 Establishment
A federally funded Small Business Stability Grant Program is hereby established to assist independently owned small businesses during wage alignment implementation.
5.2 Eligibility
To qualify, a business must:
• Employ fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees, with flexibility for industry-specific adjustments by the Task Force
• Be independently owned and operated
• Not be majority-owned, controlled, or managed by private equity funds, hedge funds, or institutional investment entities
• Not be subject to extraction-based management or monitoring fee structures tied to affiliated investment firms
Childcare providers, including family childcare homes and small centers, shall be expressly eligible and encouraged to apply.
5.3 Permitted Uses
Grant funds may be used for:
• Wage transition support
• Workforce retention
• Productivity and operational improvements
• Payroll and compliance modernization
Funds may not be used for:
• Stock buybacks
• Excess owner distributions beyond pre-program levels
• Rent increases beyond approved thresholds tied to regional wage growth or CPI, whichever is lower
• Executive compensation increases beyond standard inflation adjustments
5.4 Accountability & Clawbacks
Recipients shall:
• Maintain workforce levels within defined retention standards
• Comply with wage alignment schedules
• Submit simplified quarterly payroll documentation
• Submit to random compliance audits
Violations shall result in clawback provisions, including repayment of funds with interest.
5.5 Sunset Provision
The program shall sunset automatically once:
• Rent-to-income ratios stabilize within national guardrails for three consecutive years
• Small business closure rates return to historical norms
• Wage growth sustainably aligns with housing affordability metrics

Section 6: Justice System Economic Extraction Reform
6.1 Findings
The Federal Stability Task Force finds that:
• Supervision fees, court costs, restitution payments, and electronic monitoring charges imposed on individuals under parole or probation supervision frequently exceed 20 percent of gross income for low-wage workers.
• These financial obligations directly undermine housing stability by consuming income needed for rent, utilities, and food.
• Failure to pay such fees due to insufficient income results in technical violations, incarceration, and the destruction of employment and housing stability.
• This cycle functions as an extraction mechanism, transferring wealth from the poorest individuals to private monitoring companies, court systems, and correctional agencies.
• No person should be returned to incarceration solely because they cannot afford fees while earning below a living wage.
6.2 Fee Caps Based on Income
No individual under parole, probation, or pretrial supervision shall be required to pay monthly supervision fees, monitoring costs, or court-imposed financial obligations exceeding 5 percent of gross monthly income.
For individuals earning below the regional living wage established in Section 4, all non-restitution supervision fees shall be waived entirely.
In determining "inability to pay" for purposes of fee waivers, the Task Force shall consider household size, documented childcare expenses, and child support obligations. No supervision fee shall be imposed if payment would reduce household resources below 150 percent of the federal poverty level adjusted for household size and composition.
6.3 Prohibition on Incarceration for Poverty
No court, parole board, or supervising agency shall revoke parole, probation, or supervised release or impose incarceration for:
• Failure to pay fees or costs when the individual demonstrates inability to pay
• Job loss or wage reduction below the regional living wage
• Housing instability directly resulting from unaffordable rent
• Any technical violation driven by economic necessity, including inability to afford transportation to appointments
The Task Force shall develop uniform standards for determining "inability to pay" based on verified income, household size, and regional housing costs.
6.4 Private Monitoring Accountability
Electronic monitoring devices (ankle bracelets, GPS trackers, etc.) shall not be used as a source of profit extraction from supervised individuals.
• Daily monitoring fees charged to individuals shall not exceed the actual cost of administration, verified by independent audit.
• No individual shall be required to wear a monitoring device if the associated fees would exceed the 5 percent income cap established in Section 6.2.
• Contracts with private monitoring companies shall be reviewed by the Department of Justice to ensure they do not create financial incentives for prolonged or unnecessary supervision.
• No company shall receive federal contracts or supervise federally funded monitoring if they have engaged in predatory fee practices.
6.5 Fee Elimination Timeline
The Task Force, in coordination with the Department of Justice and state advisory bodies, shall develop a five-year plan to phase out all non-restitution supervision fees entirely, replacing revenue through general fund appropriations where necessary.
The goal shall be: No person shall pay to be supervised. No person shall be jailed for being poor.
6.6 Housing Access for Justice-Involved Individuals
No individual shall be denied housing, including federally assisted housing, based solely on:
• Outstanding supervision fees or court debt
• Technical violations that did not result in new criminal convictions
• Periods of incarceration resulting from inability to pay
• Any arrest not resulting in conviction
Public housing authorities receiving federal funds shall adopt admissions policies consistent with this subsection within one year of this Order's effective date.

Section 7: Corporate Landlord Accountability
7.1 Institutional Acquisition Review
The Department of Housing and Urban Development, in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission, shall review all acquisitions of 100 or more residential units within a single region by institutional investment entities, including private equity funds, REITs, and hedge funds.
Any acquisition found to substantially reduce affordable housing stock or increase market concentration may be subject to conditions or referral for anti-trust review.
7.2 Anti-Price Coordination Measures
The Task Force shall investigate and refer for prosecution any evidence of algorithmic rent coordination, price-fixing, or anti-competitive practices among corporate landlords.
7.3 Disposition Incentives
The Treasury Department shall develop tax incentive structures encouraging corporate landlords to sell properties to non-profit housing organizations, tenant cooperatives, or community land trusts at prices supporting long-term affordability.

Section 8: Implementation & Review
8.1 Federal Stability Task Force
A Federal Stability Task Force is hereby established, co-chaired by the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Labor, with the Secretary of the Treasury serving as financial advisor.
The Task Force shall oversee:
• Data collection and public reporting through the Stability Dashboard
• Phased policy implementation across all relevant agencies
• Adjustment recommendations based on economic conditions
• Economic stabilization safeguards
• Coordination with state, local, tribal, and territorial governments
8.2 Annual Reporting
The Task Force shall submit an annual public report to the President and Congress detailing:
• Progress toward housing affordability guardrails
• Wage alignment metrics by region
• Small business stability and grant program outcomes
• Reductions in poverty-based incarceration and supervision fees
• Family stability indicators, including data specified in Section 10
• Childcare workforce wages, turnover, and public assistance rates
• Challenges encountered and recommended refinements
8.3 Tribal and Territorial Coordination
The Task Force shall consult with Tribal Nations and territorial governments to adapt implementation metrics and program eligibility to their unique economic and housing conditions. Tribal nations may elect to administer grant programs directly through existing compact agreements.

Section 9: Federal-State Partnership Encouragement
The Task Force shall develop model state and local legislation aligned with the principles of this Order, including:
• State-level minimum wage alignment with regional housing costs
• Just-cause eviction protections
• Tenant opportunity to purchase laws
• Property tax abatements for small landlords maintaining affordable rents
• Limits on supervision fees and poverty-based incarceration
• Primary caregiver protections in supervision decisions
Federal infrastructure, community development, and housing funds shall prioritize states and localities adopting these model provisions, where permitted by law.

Section 10: Family and Child Stability Protection
10.1 Findings
The Federal Stability Task Force finds that:
• The separation of children from parents through incarceration, particularly for poverty-based technical violations, causes profound and lasting harm to child development, educational outcomes, and emotional well-being.
• Children of incarcerated parents are significantly more likely to experience poverty, housing instability, foster care placement, and intergenerational involvement in the criminal justice system.
• Parents under supervision face unique barriers to stability, including lack of affordable childcare, family-sized housing shortages, and child support obligations that may consume wage increases.
• No child should be punished for a parent's inability to pay fees or navigate an impossible system.
10.2 Best Interest of the Child Standard
In all parole, probation, and supervision decisions involving a parent or primary caregiver of a minor child, the supervising authority shall consider the best interest of the child, including:
• The impact of parental incarceration on the child's housing, education, and continuity of care
• Availability of alternative sanctions that do not require separation
• The child's need for stable, consistent parental presence
10.3 Primary Caregiver Protections
No parent or primary caregiver of a minor child shall be incarcerated for a technical violation of supervision where alternative sanctions are sufficient to address the violation and protect public safety.
Alternative sanctions may include:
• Increased reporting frequency
• Curfew modifications
• Community service
• Electronic monitoring (subject to fee caps in Section 6.4)
• Referral to supportive services
10.4 Child Support Alignment
The Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Department of Justice and the Task Force, shall develop guidelines within one year ensuring that:
• Wage increases resulting from this Order do not automatically trigger unaffordable increases in child support obligations that would leave families unable to meet housing costs
• Parents who demonstrate inability to pay child support due to supervision fees or housing costs may seek modification without penalty
• Arrears accumulated during periods of incarceration or poverty-wage employment may be subject to reduction or forgiveness
10.5 Childcare Access and Stability
The Department of Health and Human Services shall prioritize formerly incarcerated and supervised parents for existing childcare subsidy programs.
The Task Force shall include in its annual report an assessment of childcare access as a barrier to parental employment and supervision compliance.
10.6 Visitation and Family Contact
No condition of supervision shall unreasonably restrict a parent's contact with their minor children. Supervising agencies shall accommodate parenting responsibilities, including school events, medical appointments, and childcare obligations, in setting reporting schedules and conditions.
10.7 Data on Children
The Housing & Economic Stability Dashboard established in Section 3.4 shall be expanded to include the following data, updated annually and disaggregated by region, age, and race/ethnicity:
• Number of children with a parent under parole or probation supervision
• Number of children whose parent was incarcerated for a technical violation
• Number of children entering foster care due to parental incarceration or supervision-related instability
• Educational outcomes for children with supervised or incarcerated parents, to the extent data is available
• Housing stability indicators for households with minor children and a supervised parent
10.8 Foster Care Prevention
The Department of Health and Human Services, in coordination with the Task Force, shall develop guidelines for state and local child welfare agencies to:
• Prioritize kinship placement when a parent is incarcerated
• Expedite reunification when a parent is released
• Provide supportive services to supervised parents to prevent removal
• Track and report on the intersection of parental supervision and foster care entry

Section 11: Childcare Infrastructure and Workforce Framework
11.1 Findings
The Task Force finds that:
• Access to affordable, quality childcare is a significant barrier to employment stability, housing security, and family well-being for millions of American families, regardless of justice system involvement.
• The childcare workforce is critically undercompensated, with median wages below living wage in every region, threatening the stability and availability of care.
• Childcare providers, particularly small and family-based operations, face many of the same economic pressures as other small businesses and are essential to any functioning economy.
• High turnover among childcare workers destabilizes children's development and creates chronic shortages that undermine parental employment.
• No childcare system can succeed if the people providing care cannot afford to care for their own families.
11.2 Future Framework Commitment
Within 18 months of this Order's effective date, the Task Force, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Treasury, shall submit to the President a comprehensive framework recommendation for addressing childcare affordability and workforce stability.
11.3 Framework Requirements
The framework shall address, at minimum:
(a) Cost-Sharing Model: A three-party cost-sharing structure involving employers, federal government, and families, with sliding scale contributions based on income and household size.
(b) Wage Standards: Requirements that childcare workers earn at least the regional living wage established in Section 4, with transition assistance for providers.
(c) Pass-Through Requirements: Assurance that at least 85 percent of public funds reach direct care workers as compensation, with administrative and owner distributions capped accordingly.
(d) Benefits Access: Mechanisms to provide or facilitate access to health insurance, paid leave, and retirement savings for childcare workers.
(e) Workforce Development: Investments in training, credentialing, career pathways, and mental health support for childcare workers.
(f) Provider Support: Eligibility of childcare providers for small business transition assistance, technical support, and stabilization grants.
(g) Integration with Existing Metrics: Alignment with the wage, housing, and data infrastructure established in this Order.
(h) Tribal and Territorial Adaptation: Culturally appropriate models for Tribal Nations and territories.
11.4 Interim Measures
Pending development and implementation of the comprehensive framework:
• Childcare providers are expressly eligible for Small Business Stability Grant Program assistance under Section 5.
• The Stability Dashboard shall track and report childcare workforce wages, turnover, and public assistance rates as specified in Section 3.4.
• Federal agencies shall prioritize childcare workers and their families for housing assistance and supportive services to the extent permitted by existing law.

Section 12: Severability
If any provision of this Order or the application thereof is held invalid, the remainder of this Order and other applications shall not be affected thereby.

Section 13: Effective Date
This Order shall take effect immediately and shall operate in coordination with existing cost-based housing initiatives and homelessness reduction strategies until national housing stability is restored and sustained.
The Task Force shall issue initial implementation guidelines within 90 days of this Order's effective date.

Signed,

Vincent Cordova
President of the United States