Demand for Housing Affordability Rises

According to a survey conducted by the polling firm Morning Consult on behalf of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 82 percent of Americans agree that policymakers should factor in housing affordability when considering new legislation and regulations.

With 79 percent of respondents citing housing affordability as a problem in their state, when asked about possible solutions, 66 percent of survey respondents said the government should provide incentives to private builders and developers to create more affordable housing.

Respondents also showed support for other federal policies to improve housing affordability:

• 61% support incentivizing homeowners to update their older homes to make them more resilient to flooding and high winds. 
• 59% support incentivizing local governments to ease zoning regulations that prevent the construction of more affordable housing. 
• 54% agree that easing regulations that create roadblocks to the construction of accessory dwelling units would be helpful. 
• 70% of respondents support government spending that incentivizes homeowners to bring their older homes up to current building and energy codes.

With the urgent need for increased housing affordability across the country and households facing more time at home due to the ongoing pandemic, home improvement retailers should be prepared to assist in housing projects and updates, especially if housing affordability policies are enacted in the future.