Podcast: NAHB Chairman Weighs In on SOTU, Goals for 2024
On the latest episode of the NAHB podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez are joined by 2024 NAHB Chairman Carl Harris, who was in Washington, D.C., to attend the State of the Union (SOTU) address following an immensely successful International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.
The State of the Union focused on the president’s commitment to housing, including the administration’s goal of building and preserving an additional 2 million homes. NAHB is seeking to work with officials and stakeholders across the board to advance the cause of housing and increase the nation’s housing supply, especially at the regulatory level, to create long-term solutions to the housing affordability crisis.
“I’d like to get more houses built,” Harris agreed as a key goal for 2024. “That seems to be the big deal, and whatever we can do to encourage our members to have the confidence that things are going to start turning around, that we’re going to see some lower interest rates, that we’re going to see some more favorable things that are occurring out there in our industry.”
Within NAHB, Harris also plans to continue leadership development efforts and outreach to local HBAs to help strengthen the Federation.
Listen to Housing Developments through your favorite podcast provider or watch the episodes on YouTube.
Latest from NAHBNow
Safety
Jul 17, 2026
Keep Workers Safe from Wildfire Smoke on JobsitesWith wildfires raging across Ontario, Canada and smoke impacting huge areas of the Northeast and upper Midwest in the U.S., it is important to know the effects wildfire smoke can have across the country, even if you are not in an area that is at risk for wildfires.
Economics
Jul 17, 2026
Multifamily Gains Lift Overall Starts Despite Single-Family DeclineOverall housing starts increased 19% in June to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.43 million units, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jul 17, 2026
Multifamily Gains Lift Overall Starts Despite Single-Family DeclineStrong multifamily growth pushed overall housing starts higher in June, while single-family production remained sluggish as elevated mortgage rates, rising construction costs and persistent labor shortages continued to weigh on the market.
Economics
Jul 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Stays Weak as Affordability Concerns PersistEconomic uncertainty and persistent affordability challenges driven by rising material prices, high land costs, and elevated mortgage rates continue to weigh on builder sentiment.
Economics
Jul 15, 2026
Building Material Prices Continue to Rise Despite Energy Price DeclinesResidential building material prices, excluding energy, rose 0.5% in June and were up 4.6% from a year ago. Lower energy prices were apparent in June, as energy input prices fell 10.3% over the month. Meanwhile, prices for services rose 5.2% over the year, and were up 1.0% from the previous month.