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2017 NAHB

Legislative

Conference

The National Association of Home

Builders Represents the home builders, remodelers,
and other housing industry professionals who provide the
homes that are central to American family life. Our members are job creators who take on
challenges and get things done. During NAHB’s 2017 Legislative Conference, NAHB will ask federal

policymakers to move forward on several key issues.

Reasonable regulations are essential to protecting the health
Reforming the Nation’s Regulatory Bureaucracy and safety of workers, the environment, and financial
institutions, but they must strike a balance. Federal regulations
Legislators and regulators are increasingly distant from must be carefully structured to achieve their intended benefits
American enterprise. They are unaware of the ways their while minimizing the burdens on small businesses.
complex web of regulations affects businesses – especially small
businesses – and slows the economy. The Future of Housing Finance
The housing industry provides a good example. On average,
nearly 25 percent of the cost of building a typical new A healthy housing market is the cornerstone of a strong U.S.
single-family home – almost $85,000 – is attributable to economy. But almost 10 years after the Great Recession pushed
government regulation. the economy to the brink of disaster, the nation’s housing market
Three key reforms can fix this broken system: 1) restore remains far below its potential.
congressional oversight to rulemaking 2) ensure rulemaking The unsettled housing finance system contributes greatly to
agencies consider the disproportionate impact rules have on the problem. Uncertainty in the system stymies investment, slows
small businesses; and 3) reconsider the rulemaking process. the housing market and presents downside risks to the broader
Any reform effort must restore congressional oversight to economy.
rulemaking. Unelected Washington bureaucrats employ various While some steps have been taken to address weaknesses in
mechanisms, including interpretive rules, guidance documents the mortgage market, there has been no meaningful progress in
and policy statements, to establish new laws beyond the intent implementing comprehensive reforms to the housing finance
of Congress. There are few checks against this power grab. system to ensure that housing credit is available and affordable
The process for putting federal regulations in place has not and is delivered through a sound and competitive system.
been updated since 1946. It’s time for Congress to provide for Federal support is particularly important in continuing the
greater transparency and public input during rule development, availability of the affordable 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage that
better public access to the data used in the process, and more has helped enable millions of American families to build wealth
emphasis on lower-cost alternatives. and financial security through homeownership.
14 July 2017 | GREATER SAN ANTONIO BUILDERS ASSOCIATION