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
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
Housing Headwinds Intensify Heading Into 2027
In his bi-weekly newsletter, Eye On the Economy, NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz summarized several notable headwinds for housing, and offered his insights on what those data points will mean for the industry in 2027.
Workforce Development
Oct 01, 2026
Promote the Trades During Careers in Construction Month
Every October, NAHB and the residential construction industry celebrate Careers in Construction Month, a time to raise awareness of the rewarding opportunities available in the skilled trades.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
Private Residential Construction Spending Posts Broad-Based Gains in August
Private residential construction spending rose in August 2026 following a series of declines during the second quarter of the year. According to the latest construction spending data from the U.S. Census Bureau, private residential construction spending came in at a seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of $882.3 billion in August, up 1.1% from July but down 4.8% from a year ago.
Economics
Oct 01, 2026
AI Exposure Remains Relatively Low Across Most Construction Occupations
Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly changing how work gets done, but its impact varies considerably across occupations. For most construction occupations, near-term exposure to AI remains relatively low.
Economics
Sep 30, 2026
Economic Growth Continued Across Most States in the Second Quarter
Real gross domestic product (GDP) increased in 44 states and the District of Columbia in the second quarter of 2026, according to the latest estimates from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).