Nation's Building News Online

The Elections Provide a New Foundation for Achievement in Housing

Housing was clearly in the winner’s column after the votes were counted in the Nov. 2 elections. That is no small tribute to the grassroots members of NAHB — along with their colleagues, their employees, their families and friends and their customers — who mobilized as never before in support of the candidates who share our concern about expanding housing opportunity in America. We worked extra hard across this country to register voters and get them to vote, and by a wide margin they chose the candidates who understand that housing is foremost among the concerns of this nation.

During the campaign, we heard from both presidential candidates. We asked them what they planned to do to strengthen our national priority for housing. We questioned them on their positions on housing’s role in the economy, tax policy, our housing finance system, the need for affordably priced housing for working families, overregulation and more. Both President George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry were forthright and encouraging in their responses. In the forum provided in Nation’s Building News for sharing their views with our membership, it was very clear that housing was one issue that had garnered strong bipartisan support in the race to the White House. In a contest that was characterized by some sharp differences on major issues, housing was one area where both of the presidential contenders stood in agreement.

In a memorable speech before the NAHB Board of Directors at our fall meeting in Columbus, OH, President Bush continued his discussion of housing. He acknowledged the role of housing in leading the economy back to health and described the initiatives of his Administration designed to increase homeownership opportunities overall, and for underrepresented minorities in particular, and to help builders deliver housing that families at the lower end and middle of the income range can afford. He also stated positions on tax policy, regulatory relief and health insurance for small business that we share. The President has established a good foundation for housing, and in his second term in office we will be working with the Administration to ensure that he is able to build upon it.

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From the congressional races, we will see some familiar faces and some new faces in the 109th Congress that convenes next year, but the good news is that there are few who are not familiar with the needs of our industry. Through a sophisticated communications and outreach program, the nation’s home builders conducted a voter mobilization campaign targeted at one key Senate race and nine competitive House races. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of our members, we won all of them. BUILDPAC, our political action committee, has been a growing source of strength and pride for our association, and the results of the elections show that NAHB has become a powerful force on Capitol Hill on behalf of championing housing and the American dream. (To read more in NBN about the outcome of the elections, click here.)

In the weeks ahead, NAHB will be working to sharpen its position on the housing issues that will arise in the new Congress and the new Administration. On the policies that matter the most, we are ready to engage our nation’s leaders in an effort to achieve legislation that will make a decisive difference for the men and women who build America’s housing and the households who live in the homes that lend vitality to our economy, our neighborhoods and our society.

Workforce housing is very much on our agenda, and we will be gathering at the National Housing Center next month to voice our ongoing commitment to providing housing for our country’s working families in or near the communities they serve. Along with Fannie Mae, NAHB will be holding “Close to Home: A Symposium on Workforce Housing” on Dec. 8. The symposium will consider new research on the housing needs of working families and will include panels that will define the problem, identify strategies for overcoming barriers and consider approaches and partnerships that have worked and can succeed to solve this problem.

As we have seen in the elections, the concern for housing is an issue that bridges political differences like no other. Our hopes and our spirits are high, and our determination is strong, to accomplish great things for housing and work with out newly elected leaders to reaffirm policies that will fulfill our commitment to housing like never before.
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