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Homeownership remains out of reach for many Americans, but Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner reveals some states are making more progress than others.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Turner said Florida and Texas are “ahead of the game” on housing affordability, citing efforts to expand housing opportunities and reduce barriers to new construction.
His comments come as home costs has emerged as a major midterm issue, with elevated mortgage rates, a persistent housing shortage and rising construction costs continuing to put homeownership out of reach for many families.
Housing affordability has emerged as a top political and economic issue as many Americans continue to grapple with high home prices and mortgage rates. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
Against that backdrop, President Donald Trump’s HUD chief argued that increasing housing supply through state and local reforms will be critical to improving affordability, saying the Trump administration is working to reduce regulatory barriers and encourage more homebuilding nationwide.
“Florida is really ahead of the game, in particular when it comes to opportunities, and Texas is doing a great job,” Turner told Fox News Digital from the National Mall last week on one of the final days of the Great American State Fair.
He said states that prioritize housing development and work closely with local communities are better positioned to keep pace with demand.
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Housing experts argue that expanding homebuilding is one of the most effective ways to improve affordability. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Beyond those two states, Turner said other communities are also making strides.
“Other states are laser focused on this. I was just in Philadelphia and they are dialed in and working very well together,” he said of the Pennsylvania city, addind: “Omaha, Nebraska, they have great collaboration and working relationships.”
The comments align with what homebuilders describe as a key advantage in many fast-growing Southern states.
By easing regulatory hurdles and making it easier to build new homes, states such as Texas and Florida have been better positioned to keep pace with rapid population growth than markets with more restrictive zoning and permitting rules, industry leaders previously told Fox News Digital.
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“Those economies are wide open. They are inviting more businesses, they’re generally low-tax states and they’ve made housing a priority,” National Association of Home Builders President and CEO Jim Tobin previously told Fox News Digital.
“They’ve got the land and the will and courage to let builders build in those areas to meet the housing demand for those new jobs.”
The approach has taken on greater importance as Americans continue relocating to lower-tax states, fueling demand for homes in many Sun Belt markets.
Housing experts say states that pair population growth with policies that encourage new construction are generally better positioned to accommodate newcomers without worsening housing shortages or putting additional upward pressure on prices.
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States that prioritize homebuilding and reduce regulatory barriers are generally better positioned to expand housing supply and improve affordability. (Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
Turner said the Trump administration is pursuing many of the same strategies he credited in states like Florida and Texas, including reducing regulatory barriers and encouraging new home construction to boost supply and improve affordability.
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“That’s what we’re doing now is easing the regulatory environment, bringing the cost down, raising the supply so builders can build and homeowners can buy,” Turner said.