White House Rescinds Order to Freeze Federal Funds
The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has rescinded a memo authorizing the temporary freeze of many federal grants and loans. A one-paragraph memo issued by the OMB this afternoon said the agency was rescinding a memo issued earlier this week that called for a temporary pause on many federal grants, loans or financial assistance programs.
A federal judge halted the order on the original memo until at least Feb. 3.
After the first OMB memo was released on Jan. 27, NAHB staff worked to clarify the OMB statement to determine what effect it would have on federal housing programs by reaching out to several federal agencies and the White House. We received assurances from the White House and agencies that housing programs were not the intended target of the pause.
With the administration acting today to formally withdraw its memo to agencies that caused the funding freeze, this means that members of the housing community should not have problems closing their Federal Housing Administration loans, renewing their Housing Assistance Payment contracts, or receiving Housing Choice Voucher payments.
Latest from NAHBNow
Awards
Jun 17, 2026
Industry Legends Honored With National Housing Center AwardsSeveral industry leaders were recently honored for their contributions to the housing industry during the National Housing Center Awards Ceremony on June 13 in Washington, D.C. The ceremony recognized the 2026 inductees to the National Housing Hall of Fame and the recipients of the Exemplary Service to Home Building Award.
Jun 16, 2026
NAHB Statement on Agreement to Move Major Housing LegislationBill Owens, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders and a home builder and remodeler from Worthington, Ohio, issued the following statement on the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Jun 16, 2026
Housing Starts Weaken in May as Multifamily Construction SlowsHousing starts fell sharply in May, driven by a steep drop in multifamily construction. Meanwhile, single-family buildings also slipped amid high interest rates, rising construction costs and ongoing labor shortages.
Economics
Jun 15, 2026
Builder Sentiment Remains Weak Amid Affordability ConcernsBuilder sentiment remains subdued as rising material costs, elevated mortgage rates and ongoing affordability challenges continue to strain the housing market.
Economics
Jun 12, 2026
Single-Family Permits Continue to Decline Through April as Multifamily Activity StrengthensThrough April 2026, residential construction activity remained uneven across housing sectors. Single-family permitting continued to soften compared with a year ago, reflecting persistent affordability challenges and elevated borrowing costs, while multifamily permitting posted solid gains supported by stronger activity in several regions.