Industry Leaders to Share Insights on Barriers to Homeownership

NAHB’s Election 2020 series with The Hill continues in Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 8:30 a.m. Tune in to the event's livestream, which will be available through The Hill’s "Building the Dream: Charlotte" webpage, to watch as state and local government officials, industry leaders and community partners share their insights on the challenges of housing affordability. Rising home prices, lending restrictions, stagnant wages and a growing burden of debt have made homeownership financially unattainable for many prospective buyers. Cities across the country — including those as vibrant as Charlotte — continue to struggle with how to open the doors to homeownership to more of their residents while ensuring sound fiscal policies and practices. In the case of the "Queen City," despite a number of recent economic positives, stagnant wage growth, lack of public transit options and the historical isolation of working-class neighborhoods are just a few of the hurdles to homeownership for so many of its residents, particularly minority populations. This situation is not unique to Charlotte, however, as community leaders search for solutions to create a better pathway to homeownership. NAHB Chairman Dean Mon will sit down with Kelly Zuccarelli, senior vice president and manager of the national builder, renovation and condo program at Wells Fargo & Company, to discuss the key financial barriers and other challenges prospective home owners face in the home-buying process, and what can be done to alleviate or improve these issues. Additional details, including a full agenda for the event, are available here. For more resources on housing affordability, visit NAHB's Creating Housing for All webpage.