Last week’s NAR Policy Forum underscored intuitive conclusions about the value of homeownership with presentations from researchers and housing policy experts. With evidence-based metrics on the education, health, and economic vitality associated with homeownership versus renting, the forum offered an insightful exchange of ideas between industry partners, academics, and policy makers.
The discussion included Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser welcoming consideration of new financing structures to address affordable homeownership demand. There is increasing interest – not just in D.C. but throughout the U.S. – in innovative models to address the nexus of housing and individual sustainability. As the wealth divide has been exacerbated, so has the strain on public resources that support at-risk members of the community. Stabilizing housing and stabilizing the financial concerns of most families go hand-in-hand. With an opportunity for affordable homeownership, families take control of their largest recurring expense, build equity through the investment, establish deeper ties in their communities, and establish a stronger tax base that circulates spending back into the local economy.
Thank you, NAR for a great exchange of ideas – we look forward to working together to enact affordable homeownership policies that serve the needs of America’s missing middle and low-income families.
For more information on the policy forum or to view presentation materials, visit the event page here.