Seattle Times Highlights NAHB’s Opposition to Lumber Tariffs

Housing Affordability
Published

The Seattle Times has published an editorial by NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke that lays out a strong case against tariffs on Canadian lumber shipments into the United States that are fueling lumber price volatility and harming housing affordability.

Under the headline, “Tariffs on Canadian Lumber are Driving Up Home Prices,” Fowke lays out a strong case on how the Commerce Department’s recent move to double tariffs on Canadian lumber from 9% to 17.9% has effectively delivered a body blow to American home buyers, renters and businesses that rely on lumber products.

He further cites the reasons for the latest lumber price surge and provides specific actions that policymakers need to take to reduce price volatility and increase supply.

View the full editorial.

Subscribe to NAHBNow

Log in or create account to subscribe to notifications of new posts.

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Advocacy

Jan 22, 2026

NAHB Podcast: The Davos Housing Update That Wasn’t

On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, Chief Operating Officer Paul Lopez is joined by Chief Advocacy Officer Ken Wingert to discuss the latest housing policies, including the housing announcement (or lack thereof) at the World Economic Forum and NAHB's continued advocacy efforts for 2026.

IBS | Awards

Jan 21, 2026

NAHB Announces 2026 Best of IBS Finalists

More than 300 product entries in nine categories were judged by 42 industry and media representatives. See which products were selected as finalists in the 2026 Best of IBS Awards.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Jan 22, 2026

House Prices Decline in Local Markets Despite National Growth

Nationally, house prices continued to rise at a modest pace in the third quarter of 2025, as mentioned in our previous quarterly house prices post. However, this national trend masks significant variation across local markets. While many metro areas continued to see house price appreciation, others experienced notable declines following several years of rapid growth.

Economics

Jan 21, 2026

Private Residential Construction Spending Edges Higher in October on Home Improvements

Private residential construction spending was up 1.3% in October, rebounding from a 1.4% decline in September 2025. This modest gain was primarily driven by increased spending on home improvements.

Economics

Jan 21, 2026

Single-Family Permits Cooled in the Fall

In October, single-family building permits weakened, reflecting continued caution among builders amid affordability constraints and financing challenges. In contrast, multifamily permit activity remained steady and continued to perform relatively well.