The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released a 10-point housing plan to address the nationwide shortage of 1.5 million housing units, designed to tame shelter inflation and ease the housing affordability crisis by removing barriers that hinder the construction of new homes and apartments. The plan includes:

1. Eliminating excessive regulations that inflate housing costs.
2. Promoting careers in skilled trades to address labor shortages.
3. Fixing building material supply chains and easing costs.
4. Passing federal tax legislation to expand affordable housing production.
5. Overturning inefficient local zoning rules to increase housing density.
6. Alleviating permitting roadblocks to expedite housing projects.
7. Adopting reasonable and cost-effective building codes.
8. Reducing local impact fees and upfront taxes associated with housing construction.
9. Making it easier for developers to finance new housing.
10. Updating employment policies to promote flexibility and opportunity.

NAHB emphasizes the need for collaboration between policymakers and the housing industry to meet the goal of providing affordable housing for all Americans, as outlined in the Housing Act of 1949. NAHB’s plan outlines initiatives that can be taken at the local, state, and federal levels to address the root of the problem – the impediments to increasing the nation’s housing supply. For more information visit NAHB’s blog.