NAHB Chairman-elect Bob Nielsen attended a meeting at the White House on Oct. 13 to discuss a new generation of rental housing policies.

Convened by the White House Domestic Policy Council and including panels moderated by senior officials at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Treasury and the Department of Agriculture, the meeting heard new proposals on what the federal government can do to make the rental market a viable choice for American households for whom homeownership is not an option.

Speakers included academics, practitioners and policy makers who discussed how future rental policies can help low-income families, promote better neighborhoods and enhance the financing system for the production and rehabilitation of rental housing.

The range of topics was far-reaching, and several focused on comprehensive service-oriented approaches to healthy neighborhoods, with housing as only one component. Not surprisingly, reforming the mortgage interest deduction and redirecting revenue to affordable rental housing was also raised. However, there was more of a focus on financing issues, particularly on access to credit for small multifamily rental properties — an important source of affordable rental housing that is historically difficult to finance — and on how to most effectively use foreclosed properties for lease-to-own programs.

Those who convened the meeting said that they will keep participants engaged in future discussions as the White House continues its work on rental housing policy.

For more information, e-mail Claudia Kedda at NAHB, or call her at 800-368-5242 x8352.

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