Podcast: Pro-Housing County Exec Discusses Home Building Growth
This post has been updated.
On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez welcome Josh Schoemann, county executive for Washington County, Wis., to discuss his Next Generation Housing Initiative to help builders build entry-level homes and increase housing opportunity.
The new housing program stemmed from Washington County’s struggle to retain its younger residents once they went away to college or for other opportunities. In researching the factors that contributed to them leaving, housing was a major component.
“If they can’t afford to live there, they’re not coming back,” Schoemann stated.
The program involved creating a coalition of government entities and housing professionals to help deregulate housing in the county, and securing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) financing to leverage down development costs and cover permit fees for entry-level homes.
“I call it a prosperity cycle — prosperous families create prosperous businesses, which create prosperous communities,” Schoemann shared. “We’ve done this before. We just have to think differently than we have for the past 30 years.”
Challenges have included NIMBY-ism, holding the coalition together, and keeping the plan moving forward, especially in the wake of municipalities than have been reluctant to remove regulations.
Tobin and Lopez also discuss the cabinet picks for the Trump administration, including Scott Turner to helm the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the opportunities for NAHB to collaborate.
The episode concludes with the latest Builders' Show Insider segment. Denise Miller, VP of Marketing and Brand Management, and Jamahl Gibbons, manager of IBS Show Homes, delve into the details surrounding The New American Home, including standout features in the 2025 show home.
Listen to the full episode of the podcast below, and subscribe to Housing Development through your favorite podcast provider or watch all the episodes on YouTube.
Latest from NAHBNow
Housing Finance
Jun 24, 2026
HUD Announces 14 Regulatory Changes to Help Lower Housing CostsThe U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced 14 policy changes to its Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Single Family mortgage insurance program aimed at lowering costs, easing regulatory burdens, and improving affordability for Americans using FHA-insured mortgages.
Advocacy
Jun 24, 2026
NAHB Statement on President Trump Canceling Signing of Housing BillNAHB Chairman Bill Owens issued the following statement after President Trump canceled his plan to sign landmark housing legislation today.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jun 24, 2026
Sawmill Output Slips as Capacity Continues to DeclineU.S. sawmill production fell in the first quarter, the second consecutive quarter of lower output according to the Federal Reserve G.17 Industrial Production report. Sawmill output has remained largely flat since 2023, after increasing in the post-pandemic period.
Economics
Jun 23, 2026
State-Level Employment Situation: May 2026State labor market conditions remained mixed in May, with payrolls expanding in many states while job losses were concentrated in a smaller group of states and the District of Columbia (D.C.). Construction employment also continued to grow nationwide, although performance varied considerably across states.
Economics
Jun 22, 2026
Structural Demand Outpacing Supply: Jobs-to-Permits Ratios Highlight Housing GapStrong labor market growth continued to put pressure on the nation’s housing supply in 2024, as home building activity did not fully keep pace with demand driven by job gains. Comparing net new jobs with prior-year permitting activity helps show whether the pace of housing construction is keeping up with potential household formation and broader economic growth.