Podcast: Live From IBS 2026 – A Special Home for a Special Cause
In the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez take center stage at NAHB HQ at the 2026 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, with special guest Jason Eichenholz sharing his behind-the-scenes involvement with The New American Home.
Eichenholz is the founder of Jonathan’s Landing Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to pursuing solutions that provide a life of dignity, growth, and purpose for adults with autism and giving parents peace knowing their child is safe and happy.
“As a father of a son with special needs, I used to lie awake at night, every night, ‘What’s going to happen to my son when I’m gone?’” Eichenholz shared. He was able to solve that question personally through his business success, but recognized that not every family in similar situations had the same opportunities.
After seeing The New American Home 2025 in Las Vegas, Eichenholz partnered with NAHB, Alair Homes and a community of suppliers to create The New American Home 2026 to raise awareness of autism and housing for adults. This included a dollar-for-dollar matching donation to his foundation for the cost of all items supplied by the product manufacturers and others who supported the project, as well as a special “Pass the Apron” fundraiser hosted by SKS and LG during the 2026 IBS.
“If we’re going to go build a community that no one’s ever done before for 500 residents, what better place in the world than to be at this conference to go talk to the people who do that for a living?” Eichenholz stated, referencing the foundation’s plans to develop a community with housing for 500 people and create 5,000 jobs to help adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
The balance of both housing and employment is key, he added, to provide a career path and a community. In building The New American Home, that sense of community translates to his personal life as well in creating gathering places for his family and friends — including a unique basement, which is almost unheard of in Florida, let alone on a lakefront lot. Eichenholz relied on the building experts involved — including Daniel Kennerly and Jim Krantz of Alair Homes, architect Michael Wenrich and the interior design team at Steele Street Studios — to develop a home that’s not only stunning, but warm and inviting.
Tobin and Lopez also highlight:
- The economic data being released at the 2026 IBS, including the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI),
- NAHB’s collaboration with the National League of Cities and American Planning Association to address the nation’s housing supply challenges,
- NAHB’s recent blitz on Capitol Hill for the Energy Choice Act, and
- House passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act.
“Housing is having its moment, and we need to keep moving forward,” Tobin stated.
Listen to the full episode of the podcast below. and subscribe to Housing Developments through your favorite podcast provider, or watch all the episodes on YouTube.