NAHB Poised to Advance Housing Priorities After Midterms

Historically, the party in power loses ground in midterm elections, and this year was no different. Democrats needed only three seats to regain the House and appear poised to gain more than 30 — with many races still uncalled. The large margin of victory will give presumptive Speaker Hakeem Jeffries breathing room to advance legislation in a way that Republican Speaker Mike Johnson did not enjoy.

In the Senate, Democrats needed a net gain of four seats and have picked up at least seven, with two races in Mississippi and Alaska yet to be called. 

Democratic gains extended beyond Congress, while four governors’ seats flipped in Georgia, Iowa, Ohio and Texas. Democrats now hold 27 governors’ seats to Republicans’ 20, with three races still to be called.

What does Democratic control of the House and Senate mean for home building and housing? Regardless of the final seat counts, NAHB is well-positioned to work with the new Democratic-controlled Congress on bipartisan measures to make housing more affordable and attainable.

Affordability concerns, including housing affordability, were a top concern for voters in exit polls and will continue to be a priority in Washington after the election.

Democrats are expected to focus on increased funding for affordable housing programs, a greater emphasis on workforce training, and limits on President Trump’s tariff and immigration policies that have impacted new construction. At the same time, the Trump administration is expected to continue to pursue an agenda of deregulation that will help spur new housing supply.  

Housing has long attracted bipartisan support, as demonstrated by the landmark 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, which passed both chambers of Congress this summer with overwhelming backing from both parties. The package will help expand the nation’s housing supply by easing regulatory barriers and encouraging local zoning and land-use reforms to address restrictions on home building.

In the “lame duck” session following the election, Congress is expected to begin debate on the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. Introduced by Republican and Democratic leaders on key Senate environmental committees, this permitting reform measure aims to expand housing supply, lower development costs and make homeownership more attainable.

BUILD-PAC, NAHB’s political action committee, which helps elect pro-housing, pro-business lawmakers, had its own historic election. This cycle, it contributed nearly $3.6 million to 379 Republican and Democratic congressional candidates, the most since the 2008 election cycle. More than 80% won on Nov. 3, with several races still uncalled.

With a national housing shortfall of roughly 1.2 million households, more must be done to let builders build — and voters agree. Throughout the campaign, voters consistently cited housing availability and affordability as key factors in their decisions. Some lawmakers are already discussing a “ROAD 2.0” bill to curb rising costs and expand home building, underscoring housing’s place on the political agenda. As a nonpartisan organization, NAHB has built strong working relationships with both parties, earning a seat at the table to advance our housing priorities:  

• Ease regulatory burdens

• Curb costly federal mandates and streamline permitting

• Expand financing opportunities for builders and buyers

• Promote workforce development

• Support reliable building material supply chains to help ease cost pressures

As the election dust settles, NAHB and our Federation stand ready to work with the new Congress, the Trump administration and state and local officials on bipartisan solutions to rein in rising costs and help builders deliver more homes and apartments.

Nov. 9: Interactive Webinar on What the Elections Mean for Housing

NAHB will host a members-only webinar on Nov. 9 at 2 p.m. ET with in-depth election updates and insights on what the midterms mean for housing. A panel of NAHB advocacy staff experts will discuss election results at all levels, explain their policy implications and answer selected participant questions.