WASHINGTON, D.C. – (RealEstateRama) — As the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) celebrates National Homeownership Month in June, builders continue to demand affordable housing for all Americans, calling for sensible reforms to burdensome regulations that increase the cost of housing.
“The aggressive over-regulation of the housing industry is putting the American Dream of safe and affordable housing at risk,” said NAHB Chairman Ed Brady, a home builder and developer from Bloomington, Ill.
In May, NAHB released a study, Government Regulation in the Price of a New Home, which showed that on average, government regulations account for 24.3% of the final price of a new single-family home. In fact, the regulatory costs for an average single-family home went from $65,224 in 2011 to $84,671 in 2016 – a 29.8% increase in five years.
“Regulators at all levels of government – local, state and federal – must understand that their actions have real consequences,” said NAHB Chief Executive Officer Jerry Howard. “The cost of regulation in the price of a new home is rising more than twice as fast as the average American’s ability to pay for it. That is simply not sustainable.”
NAHB has been fighting back against costly regulations that fail to meet their intended goals, including the Department of Labor’s new overtime rule that was implemented without considering its impact on small businesses, consumers, workers and the economy.
The 100% increase to the salary threshold for overtime eligibility will hit the home building industry particularly hard and harm housing affordability. It will reduce job-advancement opportunities and the hours of full-time construction supervisors, leading to construction delays, increased costs and less affordable housing options for consumers.
“Common sense reforms to the regulatory approval process would open the doors of homeownership to more Americans across the country,” Brady said.
During National Homeownership Month in June, and throughout the year, NAHB and its 700 state and local affiliates work hard to make affordable housing a reality and a priority to our nation’s leadership.
“Homeownership remains a core American value to consumers across the country,” Brady said. “In addition to building stronger communities, homeownership provides a solid foundation for family and personal achievement. It is critical that we keep this dream within reach, and not price out buyers with needless overregulation.”
