Taxes and Regulations

Advocacy
Contact: Nicholas Julian
[email protected]
Senior Program Manager, Land Use
(202) 266-8309

NAHB firmly believes that efforts to further regulate the housing industry must be subject to greater oversight, allowed for increased public participation in the process and be based on sound data. The regulatory process should only be undertaken after careful consideration of the costs and benefits as well as the potential efforts on small businesses.

Impact/Development Fees

  • Considering economic pressures on local governments, it’s easy to understand why local governments are increasingly turning to impact fees for the provision of public services.
  • Impact fees act as a tax on new housing which significantly adds to the cost of a housing development. The cost is then passed on to prospective home buyers and renters.
  • Aside from a tax, impact fees can be a form of exclusionary zoning that would increase housing costs and price out certain groups of prospective home owners from the housing market.
  • Impact fees not only lead to an increase in the price of new homes but also an increase in the prices of existing homes, placing new and existing homes out of reach for potential buyers.
  • In short, artificially raising housing costs through fees prices out potential home owners which contribute to the housing affordability crisis.
    The building community is dedicated to working with the public and private sector to develop a fee structure that is paired with incentives for development such as reduced parking requirements or density bonuses.

Accessory Dwelling Units

  • Accessory Dwelling Units allow some homeowners to gain rental income that can offset the cost of rising property taxes, maintenance and repair costs, and other housing expenses.
  • ADUs also allow homeowners the opportunity to provide housing for family members, aging and young adults.
  • ADUs can provide an increased opportunity for affordable units scattered around the community that blends with the neighborhood by making use of existing infrastructure and space.

Related Resources

  • Land Use

    Land Use 101

    The goal of Land Use 101 is to assemble the best available resources from NAHB that are most relevant to the issues currently in play in the land development arena.

    Read more
  • Tiny houses on ascending stacks of pennies

    Infrastructure Finance and Development Fees

    The issue of how to fund infrastructure remains a significant one. The challenge and opportunity for all is to figure out how to work together to incentivize desired new projects and finance needed infrastructure as effectively, reliably and efficiently as possible without driving up housing costs in the process.

    Sitecore Home
  • Old Town Commons Alexandria VA

    Cost Waivers and Reductions

    Strategies that waive fees, reduce costs, contribute funding, and create incentives can directly benefit developers’ and builders’ ability to build more housing and at less cost.

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Stormwater Construction General Permits The EPA has published the proposed 2022 Construction General Permit (CGP) in the Federal Register.