Podcast: NAHB Legal Expert Discusses Huge Supreme Court Case on Impact Fees
On the latest episode of the NAHB podcast Housing Developments, hosts CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez welcome Tom Ward, NAHB vice president of legal advocacy, to discuss a huge case argued yesterday at the U.S. Supreme Court on impact fees charged to home builders, home owners and developers.
The group also discusses the latest on Capitol Hill, including potential moves to avert a government shutdown.
Watch the latest episode below and subscribe to Housing Developments through your favorite podcast provider.
Latest from NAHBNow
Mortgage rates rose sharply in September as multiple factors applied significant upward pressure on U.S. treasury bond yields, a key factor in mortgage rates.
According to NAHB’s most recent member census from 2025, approximately two-thirds of NAHB’s total members are Associate members. These members include those involved in a wide range of support industries and professions including, trade contractors, manufacturers, retailers/distributors, designers, and architects.
Latest Economic News
Mortgage application activity declined as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, decreased 7.7% month-over-month in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were lower by 35.4%.
Mortgage rates rose sharply in September as multiple factors applied significant upward pressure on the U.S. treasury yields. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.86% in September, up nearly 20 basis points (bps) from August.
In 2025, around a quarter of new homes were built with a two-story foyer, slightly up from 2024, according to data obtained from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and tabulated by NAHB.