Solutions for Affordable Housing

 

On December 4, 2024, the National Housing Conference hosted its Solutions for Affordable Housing convening at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. This hybrid convening serves as a platform for fostering connections among a diverse range of affordable housing stakeholders, encompassing officials from municipal bodies, charitable foundations, non-profit organizations, real estate developers, lenders, and beyond. Our focus is on housing priorities that are tangible, impactful, and achievable.

Attendees built a deeper understanding of key national housing issues and the interplay between federal, state, and local policies that shape them. Sessions provided participants with valuable insights to enhance their understanding of how their organization’s objectives align with the broader national housing strategy.

 

Fireside Chat with Senator Mark Warner

Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) and NHC’s David Dworkin discussed a wide array of topics including housing policy, bipartisan collaboration, and economic development. Senator Warner highlighted the urgency of tackling the affordable housing crisis and discussed several bipartisan measures he is working on to address the issue in the next Congress.

 

 

 

Shaping the Future: The National Housing Agenda in a New Political Landscape 

Industry experts discussed the impact of the recent election on national housing policies, exploring challenges, opportunities, and strategies for sustainable development and affordable housing solutions.

 

Navigating Insurance Challenges and Rising Costs in the Housing Industry

The housing industry and consumers face significant challenges due to evolving insurance realities, impacting developers, homeowners, and investors. With property insurance premiums on the rise, understanding the factors that drove these increases and anticipating future trends was essential to maintaining a stable market. Industry leaders, insurance experts, and policy advocates discussed the causes of increasing costs and market exits, potential regulatory changes, and strategies for mitigating risks and ensuring adequate coverage.

 

Heirs’ Property and the Preservation of Generational Wealth

Experts from housing policy, real estate, finance, and community advocacy explored the historical and systemic barriers that have led to significant disparities in homeownership rates including issues around appraisal bias, redlining, and heirs’ property that have led to vulnerabilities in property rights and wealth retention. 

 

 

 

Fireside Chat with Representative Debbie Dingell (D-MI)

NHC’s David Dworkin sits down with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (D-MI), where she addressed the election, the future of the Democratic party, prospects for bipartisanship in a highly partisan political environment, and whether the affordable housing crisis can bring the parties together around real solutions.

 

 

 

Adapting to Change: How the New Real Estate Compensation Structure Affects Homebuyers

The real estate industry is undergoing significant transformation, particularly in the structure of real estate compensation. Panelists looked into how these changes are affecting homebuyers with an emphasis on first-time homebuyers and the broader market.

 

 

 

Regulating Rent and the Impact on Renters and Landlords

Experts discussed the much-contested benefits and drawbacks of past rent regulation policies and current initiatives to enact similar measures. This discussion considered a wide range of potential effects on housing affordability, renter stability, landlord flexibility, and developer investment, with an emphasis on finding consensus strategies to sustain long-term market health while also supporting renters who face steep rises in their monthly costs.

 

 

 

The Case for Updates: Modernizing Federal Housing Programs

Many of our most relied-upon federal housing programs have gone without significant updates in decades, creating an opportunity to improve housing services through modernization of existing tools. Attendees learned which programs are most in need of modernization and how implementation can help or hinder success, as well as lessons learned from the most recent actions for the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act, Community Reinvestment Act, and NSPIRE.

Homelessness as a Health Crisis: Finding Solutions in a Post Grants-Pass Landscape

Addressing rising homelessness requires a long-term, multifaceted approach that bridges the divides between housing and healthcare. Panelists explored how robust supportive housing solutions and comprehensive community strategies, including Housing First Strategies, the post-Grants Pass landscape for homelessness policy, and evidence-driven solutions, can prevent and end homelessness.

The Missing Middle: Strategies for Expanding Housing Options

This “missing middle” refers to the supply gap in housing options between larger single-family homes and smaller than high-rise apartments, leading to a lack of suitable, attainable housing for households with lower incomes and in varied life stages. Panelists explored how missing middle housing impacts urban development, community sustainability, and the mortgage market. Discussions covered innovative solutions to address this gap, such as zoning reforms, design strategies, and community-driven approaches to encouraging missing middle development.

 

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