NAHB 2022 Legislative Conference Puts Pressure on Congress to Act on Housing Affordability
In response to an ever-widening housing affordability crisis that threatens not only the real estate market but the U.S. economy at large, over 600 home builders from across the country attended the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) 2022 Legislative Conference to advocate for fast and effective solutions. In over 200 individual meetings, builders put pressure on their representatives and senators to support sweeping policies aimed at solving building material production bottlenecks and speeding the production of affordable housing units, NAHB reports.
More specifically, those in attendance encouraged Congress to call on the Biden administration to suspend tariffs on Canadian lumber imports, to ban lumber imports from Russia by passing the No Timber from Tyrants Act, and to fund additional job training programs to open up more career opportunities in the home building sector.
“A growing shortage of affordable housing and rising housing costs stemming from historically high price levels for lumber and other building materials, supply chain bottlenecks, surging interest rates and excessive regulations are hurting families and communities nationwide,” said NAHB Chairman Jerry Konter, a home builder and developer from Savannah, Ga. “Builders from across the nation are sending a loud and clear message that Congress must act now to help improve affordability conditions by implementing policies that will help builders to construct more single-family homes and apartments to meet consumer demand.”