Help Save a Critical Jobs Training Program

Advocacy
Published
Contact: Karl Eckhart
[email protected]
VP, State & Local Government Affairs
(202) 266-8319

The severe labor shortage in the construction industry is raising construction costs and harming housing affordability. NAHB’s workforce training affiliate, the Home Builders Institute, is building the next generation of skilled tradespeople and is the largest Job Corps national trades training contractor.

A House appropriations subcommittee has eliminated funding for the Job Corps program, the nation’s largest residential career training and education program. In response, NAHB is urging all residential construction industry members and supporters to contact their members of Congress and tell them to fully fund the Job Corp program. Visit builderlink.org/take-action to send a letter.

The redesigned BuilderLink portal allows members and supporters to send a letter to their congressional representative easily. The portal will be pre-populated with your information if you are signed in to nahb.org. To change the information on file to your current home address before sending a letter, visit the “My Information” page in the BuilderLink portal.

As part of the BuilderLink portal redesign, users can now access information on NAHB’s top advocacy issues. In addition, users can connect with BUILD-PAC, NAHB’s bipartisan political arm, which helps elect pro-housing, pro-business candidates to federal office.

Take Action Now

Subscribe to NAHBNow

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

Log in to subscribe

Latest from NAHBNow

Workforce Development

Apr 17, 2026

9 NHE Grants Boost Residential Construction Visibility

The National Housing Endowment (NHE), NAHB's philanthropic arm, created its Homebuilding Education Leadership Program (HELP) to increase the number of qualified graduates entering the home building industry. Since 2009, HELP has invested more than $6.2 million in grants to 60 colleges and universities.

Economics

Apr 16, 2026

Iran War Adds to Economic Headwinds

A multidimensional supply shock is weakening the U.S. economy, fueled by the delayed effects of the 2025 trade wars and tariffs, elevated oil prices, and persistent policy uncertainty. NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz provides a high-level summary of key economic markers.

View all

Latest Economic News

Economics

Apr 17, 2026

Count of Second Homes Declines in 2024

In 2024, the number of second homes in the U.S. was 6.2 million, accounting for 4.3% of the nation’s housing stock, according to NAHB estimates. This reflects a modest decline from 2022, when the number reached 6.5 million. This decline suggests some cooling following the pandemic-era surge in second home demand.

Economics

Apr 16, 2026

Young Adults Report More Interest in the Construction Trades: 2026 Survey

NAHB estimates the U.S. has a structural housing deficit of 1.2 million units. Among the myriad of headwinds home builders face trying to close that gap is the industry’s chronic shortage of workers in the construction trades.

Economics

Apr 15, 2026

Builder Sentiment Posts Notable Decline on Economic Uncertainty

Economic uncertainty coupled with rising building material costs and interest rates resulted in a sharp decline in builder sentiment in April as the housing market enters into the heart of the spring buying season.