New NAHB Land Use Policy Resources on Density, Zoning and Development Review
Local land use policy has an impact on housing production and affordability, but the correlation is not always readily understood by those outside of the home building industry. NAHB’s Land Development Committee formed a working group to study and produce educational resources on land use policy. The result is three primers that effectively convey a pro-housing and development message in 60 seconds or less, which can be invaluable when working with people who are unfamiliar with the subject or don’t have time to dive into a larger report.
NAHB contracted with Opticos Design — the firm that coined the phrase ‘missing middle housing’ — to produce these resources. Opticos previously produced the NAHB’s Diversifying Housing Options with Smaller Lots and Smaller Homes.
The primers cover three priority land use policy topics related to housing production and affordability:
Each document defines the subject along with the present challenges, solutions and benefits to local communities.
Many cities have land-use codes or zoning that prevent any form of dense, smaller-unit housing, which may provide an affordable option relative to traditional single-family detached. Similarly, many cities’ development review or entitlement processes can be subjective, uncertain and extremely lengthy. There is no silver bullet to solve the housing affordability crisis, but undoing preventative policies and processes and focusing on pro-housing local solutions are great first steps.
For more information, check out NAHB’s updated Land Use 101 toolkit.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Nov 05, 2026
Multifamily Developer Confidence Weakens in Third Quarter
Confidence in the market for new multifamily housing weakened year-over-year in the third quarter, according to the Multifamily Market Survey (MMS) released today by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The MMS produces two separate indices. The Multifamily Production Index (MPI) had a reading of 41, down five points year-over-year, while the Multifamily Occupancy Index (MOI) had a reading of 69, also down five points year-over-year.
Advocacy
Nov 04, 2026
Podcast: What the Blue Wave May Mean for Housing
On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez are joined by Chief Advocacy Officer Ken Wingert to discuss the immediate aftermath of the midterm elections.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Nov 04, 2026
Mortgage Applications Decline as Higher Rates Boost ARM Share
Mortgage application activity declined in October as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply again. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, fell 14.1% month-over-month in October on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were 39.8% lower.
Economics
Nov 04, 2026
Laundry Room Locations in New Homes and Apartments, 2025
In 2025, the majority of homes started featured laundry connections on the first floor (70%), according to the Census’s Survey of Construction. Laundry located on the second floor or higher was the second most prevalent at 27%. The basement, garage, and other locations all had a 1% or lower share.
Economics
Nov 03, 2026
Mortgage Rates Climb in October Amid Accelerating Inflation
Mortgage rates rose sharply again in October as the U.S. treasury yields surged. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 7.33% in October, up 47 basis points (bps) from September. The rate reached 7.40% in early October, its highest level since 2023, before easing toward the end of the month.