In This Issue
- After 21 Months of Advocacy, NAR Leaders Help Deliver Landmark Housing Law
- The Foundation of the American dream: Celebrating 250 years of homeownership
After 21 Months of Advocacy, NAR Leaders Help Deliver Landmark Housing Law
More than 21 months ago, the National Association of REALTORS® set out to build bipartisan support for the most significant federal housing package in a generation.
Last week, that effort paid off and the bill became law.
NAR Chief Advocacy Officer and Executive Vice President Shannon McGahn breaks news of the passage of ROAD on Advocacy Social Media, getting tens of thousands of views.
The bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act has almost 50 individual housing measures that will boost housing supply, improve affordability, expand homeownership, and strengthen housing opportunities nationwide.
This is one of NAR’s biggest advocacy victories in years. Stay tuned as we break down what the new law means for consumers, communities, and REALTORS®.
NAR President Kevin Brown poses with Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Ranking Member Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) following his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee on June 23. Brown appeared before the committee to advocate for policies to improve housing affordability and increase supply, including the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act.
Leading up to passage of the bill, NAR 2026 President Kevin Brown testified before the Senate Banking Committee.
“Housing remains one of the largest drivers of economic growth in the country, making up more than a fifth of the U.S. economy,” Brown told senators. “But the supply of homes to purchase has collapsed. The American population has grown nearly 30% since 1995. Yet, the existing housing stock has actually dropped more than 25% from 1.58 million units in 1995 to 1.18 million units today. The median annual home sales price has skyrocketed to over $400,000, and the average age of the first-time buyer is now 40 years old.”
The American dream: 250 Years of Homeownership
NAR Advocacy marked America’s 250th with a campaign celebrating 250 years of housing policy that made homeownership accessible to millions and built the American middle class. That multi-channel campaign included an op-ed, an original video, and even a special edition of the Advocacy Scoop podcast!
As we came together to celebrate America’s 250th, NAR Chief Advocacy Officer Shannon McGahn wrote an op-ed highlighting how integral homeownership has been to the American dream and the policies that got us to where we are today. Here is a quick excerpt of the piece and a link to the full article if you’d like to read more.
As America marks its 250th anniversary, one idea has done as much as any document, institution, or moment to shape the nation: the idea of home.
Since our founding, homeownership has been central to the American promise. This did not happen by accident: The American housing market is one of the most deliberately constructed systems in the world, built layer by layer through policies designed to expand opportunity, ownership, and prosperity.
The first layer was access to land. As John Adams put it, “Property must be secured, or liberty cannot exist.”
From the Land Ordinance of 1785 to the Homestead Act, early American policymakers sought to expand ownership and give citizens a stake in the nation’s future. These policies helped push settlement westward and allowed new Americans to acquire land and build wealth in ways that were rare elsewhere in the world.
These policies were imperfect and often excluded many groups, but they established a powerful principle: Ownership creates opportunity.
To further highlight the integral role that homeownership has had in the history of our country, NAR Advocacy also produced a video to lay out the key moments that shaped homeownership in America and built the foundation for where we are today.
Another important aspect of our advocacy and celebration around the 250th is increasing our visibility on Capitol Hill, and we did that in a big way! The South face of NAR’s D.C. office faces directly at the Capitol, giving us prime placement for this banner to show Congress just how committed we are to fighting for the American dream of homeownership.
Advocacy Scoop: How 250 Years of Housing Policy Built the American Dream
From the nation’s earliest land policies to the creation of the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the Fair Housing Act, and modern efforts to expand housing supply and affordability, this episode explores how generations of advocates and lawmakers have strengthened opportunities for Americans to own. Tune in to hear why, 250 years later, homeownership remains one of America’s greatest public policy success stories – and how NAR advocacy is working to ensure that legacy continues for generations to come.
Link Library
FlyIn.realtor: Advocacy talking points and priorities
RealtorParty.realtor: REALTOR® Party grants and resources
NAR.realtor/AdvocacyMission: How NAR is making housing more affordable, available, and accessible
NAR.realtor/AdvocacyWins: One-stop shop for advocacy successes
Washington Report: Policy updates
Facts.realtor: Settlement information and resources
Post a comment