A new policy agenda details critical actions required to confront the housing crisis affecting millions of Americans and the broader economy.
The National Housing Crisis Task Force has unveiled a comprehensive Federal Housing Policy Agenda aimed at addressing the urgent housing crisis that impacts millions of Americans. The bipartisan group, co-chaired by a Republican governor, two Democratic mayors (one of which is Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens), and the president of a community development corporation, stresses that the crisis affects a wide array of individuals, from seniors struggling to afford maintenance costs and property taxes to young adults facing skyrocketing rental prices, and the hundreds of thousands experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
The report highlights that rising housing costs are not only a barrier to living where people want but also adversely impact spending in critical areas like healthcare and education, contribute to inflation, and exacerbate social and economic disparities.
Forty specific policy recommendations in the report are categorized into five thematic areas:
- leading a national response
- reducing barriers to housing production
- mobilizing federal capital
- innovating with a focus on industrial policy
- establishing a robust housing safety net
The report emphasizes the need for a multifaceted approach to reform the complex housing system, which is influenced by a blend of federal, state, and local policies. The Task Force advocates for immediate federal action to implement these recommendations, treating the housing crisis with the seriousness it demands, and calls for solutions that accommodate the unique needs of diverse communities—urban, rural, growing, and shrinking.
The Task Force urges leaders to prioritize housing as a central issue. It advocates for creating new tools and institutions that treat housing as an industry, focusing on long-term production, household protection, and innovative models of housing delivery. The Task Force believes that addressing the housing crisis requires collaboration across all levels of government and the private sector to ensure that people of all incomes can afford to live in the communities they call home.