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
Sponsored Content
Sep 18, 2026
Why Growth Breaks Builders Who Aren't Ready for It
Financing should be a strategic growth tool, not a substitute for a sound business. The right capital, aligned with the right projects and deployed at the right time, helps builders move when opportunity arrives.
Material Costs
Sep 17, 2026
House Bill Seeks Tariff Relief for Building Materials
NAHB worked with Rep. Nanette Barragán (D-Calif.) on legislation aimed at lowering housing costs by establishing a tariff exemption process for building materials. The Housing Tariff Exclusion Act (H.R. 10416) would automatically exempt many home building materials from President Trump’s current and future tariffs and give importers a process to seek exemptions for additional materials.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Sep 17, 2026
Single-Family Starts Rebound but Market Challenges Persist
Single-family housing starts rebounded in August, but production remains down 4.7% year to date as builders contend with rising construction costs, lot and labor shortages, and economic uncertainty.
Economics
Sep 16, 2026
With Inflation Uptick, Fed Hikes and Signals More to Come
The Federal Reserve raised the federal funds rate by 25 basis points at the conclusion of its September policy meeting, bringing the target range to 3.75% to 4%.
Economics
Sep 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Falls on Higher Interest Rates and Costs
Higher mortgage rates, worsening labor shortages and rising material costs are weighing on builder sentiment.