The U.S. Postal Service would become a bank and offer a homebuyer assistance program under a plan released by Democratic presidential contender Beto O’Rourke.

Under the housing proposal rolled out by the El Paso Democrat, the USPS would offer checking and savings accounts that would pay interest, charge no fees and require no minimum account balances.

The aim O’Rourke said is to address the lack of access to affordable financial services for millions of Americans, who end up paying expensive fees and other costs for financial services that people with traditional bank accounts don’t face.

Texas Take: Get political headlines from across the state sent directly to your inbox

The plan also has the USPS offering what O’Rourke is calling “Kickstart Savings Accounts.” The accounts would help people build up money for a down payment on a home. Those accounts would include a 2-for-1 match on up to $1,000 of savings to help low- or moderate-income families build up enough to buy a home.

The matching program would only be available to adults younger than the full Social Security retirement age who are not already homeowners and who make less than 400 percent of the federal poverty line — just over $100,000 for a family of four as of 2019.

“This plan guarantees that we help more families achieve homeownership, expand affordable and sustainable housing, and ensure every American can join the community of their choice — because we know that safe, affordable, high-quality housing is core not only to a person's success but to our country's success," O’Rourke said.

O’Rourke said his plan is aimed at addressing racial gaps in homeownership rates and a decline in homeownership rates among millennials.

For subscribers: Beto O’Rourke plans counterrally as Trump heads to Dallas Oct. 17

O’Rourke’s plan is being rolled out at a key time for his campaign.

On Tuesday, he’ll be in Ohio for the next debate among the presidential contenders. But as of Friday, his status for the next round of debates starting in November was uncertain. According to a New York Times analysis, O’Rourke still does not have four qualifying polls showing he has 3 percent support around the nation. If he doesn’t hit that mark, he won’t make the debate stage.

So far, eight candidates appear to have qualified for the November debate: former Vice President Joe Biden; U.S. Sens. Cory Booker, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren ; South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg; businessman Andrew Yang; and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer.