NAHB Urges Building Material Exemption from Planned Tariffs Against Canada and Mexico
With President Trump announcing that he plans to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods coming into the United States, NAHB is urging the president to exempt building materials from the proposed tariffs because of their harmful effect on housing affordability.
Tariffs on lumber and other building materials increase the cost of construction and discourage new development, and consumers end up paying for the tariffs in the form of higher home prices.
In a letter to the president, NAHB noted that on his first day in office Trump issued an executive order that seeks to increase housing supply and affordability.
“Bringing down the cost of housing will require a coordinated effort to remove obstacles to construction, be they regulatory, labor or supply-chain related,” NAHB’s letter said. “NAHB stands ready to work with you to accomplish these goals. However, we have serious concerns that proposed 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico will have the opposite effect, by slowing down the domestic residential construction industry.”
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Jan 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Loses Ground at Start of 2026Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell two points to 37 in January, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today.
Housing Affordability
Jan 15, 2026
NAHB Participates in Capitol Hill Housing ForumNAHB Chief Lobbyist Lake Coulson participated in a Housing Affordability Roundtable hosted by the New Democrat Coalition. Lawmakers and housing stakeholders discussed ways to address affordability challenges and enact federal housing finance reforms.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jan 16, 2026
December Mortgage Activity Softens Even as Rates EaseMortgage application activity declined in December despite a modest easing in mortgage rates. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, fell 5.3% from November on a seasonally adjusted basis, though it remained 47.1% higher than a year ago.
Economics
Jan 16, 2026
Builder Sentiment Loses Ground at Start of 2026Builder confidence moved lower to start the year as affordability concerns continue to weigh heavily with buyers, and builders continue to contend with rising construction costs.
Economics
Jan 15, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Strengthens in Fourth Quarter of 2025In the third quarter of 2025, the NAHB/Westlake Royal Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 64, increasing four points compared to the previous quarter.