Addressing housing affordability starts with adding to the nation’s severely limited inventory. The U.S. is facing an underbuilding gap of at least 5.5 million units, translating to a $4.4 trillion underinvestment in housing. NAR is advocating for solutions at all levels of government to make housing more affordable, available, and accessible.

See our latest federal legislative priorities at FlyIn.realtor.
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Housing Inventory & Affordability Resources

Housing Inventory and Affordability Discussion Series

Part 1: Adding Supply is the Solution
As housing costs climb, the dream of homeownership is slipping away from more people. Experts on both sides of the aisle agree that increasing inventory is the most effective way to make housing more affordable. In part one of NAR’s discussion series on housing inventory and affordability, hear from the following panelists on why adding supply is the solution:

  • Jennifer Vucetic, 2024 Chair, NAR State and Local Issues Policy Committee
  • Lynn Wheeler, 2024 Vice Chair, NAR State and Local Issues Policy Committee
  • Ed Pinto, Senior Fellow and Co-Director, AEI Housing Center, American Enterprise Institute
  • Rick Kahlenberg, Director of Housing Policy and the American Identity Project, Progressive Policy Institute

 

Part 2: Mayors Discuss Housing
The housing inventory and affordability crisis is top of mind for mayors across the nation. In part two of NAR’s discussion series on housing inventory and affordability, hear a wide ranging housing conversation with two mayors that are addressing inventory and affordability in their communities. 

  • Jennifer Vucetic, 2024 Chair, NAR State and Local Issues Policy Committee
  • Lynn Wheeler, 2024 Chair, NAR State and Local Issues Policy Committee
  • Mayor Corey Woods, Tempe, AZ
  • Mayor Mark Shepherd, Clearfield City, UT

Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook
A roadmap for communities to effectively navigate their housing supply challenges, offering a menu of options that can be tailored by local stakeholders. Produced by the American Planning Association and the National League of Cities, the Playbook’s development was supported by NAR, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Read our blog post and RISMedia article on this customizable resource and how local and state REALTOR® associations’ efforts helped inform it.

Listen to an American Planning Association podcast with 2024 NAR President Kevin Sears on the housing supply accelerator:

Pathways to Homeownership
A one-stop resource hub to empower REALTORS® and associations to promote fair and affordable housing. Access the latest information on NAR’s educational programs, grants, success stories, research, and partnerships, including the Black Homeownership Collaborative’s 3by30 initiative, the American Property Owners Alliance, the Mortgage Bankers Association’s Convergence Program, and AARP — all designed to accelerate homeownership pathways and help close the racial homeownership gap.

NAR’s Advocacy Mission
NAR is in an all-hands, all-front advocacy posture on the housing supply crisis that impacts every American. Access the latest data and read more about our comprehensive, all-of-government approach to win this fight.

NAR Grants and Programs
Your association can use REALTOR® Party resources to push for solutions to increase affordable housing, such as zoning reforms, missing middle housing plans, accessory dwelling units, reducing regulatory barriers to development, and leading conversations on housing supply in your community. Some of these programs include:

Housing Opportunity Grants
Smart Growth Grants
Issues Mobilization Program
Consumer Advocacy Outreach Grant
Advocacy Everywhere
Land Use Initiative

Need inspiration? Access the REALTOR® Party Success Stories library and search “housing affordability” to see how other associations are addressing these issues in their communities.

NAR Research

Housing Affordability Index
Measures whether a typical family earns enough income to qualify for a mortgage loan on a typical home at the national and regional levels based on the most recent monthly price and income data.

Housing Shortage Tracker
Compares how many single-family permits are issued for every new job by metropolitan area. In a balanced market, a single-family permit is issued for every two new jobs; thus, an area with a ratio higher than two has a housing shortage. In addition, we provide how many single-family permits are missing by area.

REALTORS® Affordability Distribution Curve & Score
Measures housing affordability at different income levels for all active inventory on the market. For each state and the 100 largest metropolitan areas, the curve shows how many houses are affordable to households ranked by income while the score represents affordability for all different income levels in a single measure.

Click here for more resources related to housing affordability from NAR Research.

Questions? Contact Drew Myers.