Podcast: NAHB Members Become Lobbyists Next Week in DC
On the latest episode of NAHB’s podcast, Housing Developments, CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez gear up for the Legislative Conference during the NAHB Spring Leadership Meeting.
More than 800 NAHB members will head to Capitol Hill to discuss key housing issues — “the things that are keeping us from meeting our full potential and building those 1.5 million new homes that we need to build each year,” as Tobin stated — with policymakers across the U.S., with a key focus on the housing affordability crisis.
“There isn’t a state or district across the country that isn’t facing an affordability crunch right now, whether it’s apartments or whether it’s ownership,” Tobin said. “And that’s what our members have to focus on.”
Specific issues that members will bring to policymakers include energy codes, transformers and workforce development. Webinars are available for members on these issues, and NAHB will host a Legislative Conference Briefing on June 12.
In addition to the Legislative Conference, Tobin and Lopez also delve into a recent Wall Street Journal article regarding multifamily development, last week’s verdict in Donald Trump’s criminal trial and potential impact on the 2024 presidential election, and congressional election predictions.
Tobin and Lopez also gave a special shout-out to Lori Asaro, chair of the National Sales and Marketing Council, who is currently road tripping across the country to Washington, D.C., for the Spring Leadership Meeting. Follow her journey on social media at #nahbontheroad.
Listen the full episode below and subscribe to Housing Development through your favorite podcast provider or watch all the episodes on YouTube.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics
Oct 08, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Remains Stable in Third Quarter Despite Headwinds
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) for the third quarter, posting a reading of 62—up one point compared to the previous quarter.
Trends
Oct 07, 2026
Share of Homes With Two-Story Foyers Increases For First Time Since 2022
For the first time since 2022, the share of new homes with two-story foyers increased, according to the Census Bureau's Survey of Construction (SOC). Despite the increase, the market share of two-story foyers has generally trended downward since 2017, with most new single-family homes being built without a two-story foyer both nationally and regionally.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 07, 2026
ARM Share Increased as Mortgage Rates Spiked
Mortgage application activity declined as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose sharply. The Mortgage Bankers Association’s (MBA) Market Composite Index, a measure of total mortgage application volume, decreased 7.7% month-over-month in September on a seasonally adjusted basis. Compared to a year ago, total mortgage applications were lower by 35.4%.
Economics
Oct 06, 2026
Mortgage Rates Rise as Treasury Yields Top 5%
Mortgage rates rose sharply in September as multiple factors applied significant upward pressure on the U.S. treasury yields. According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.86% in September, up nearly 20 basis points (bps) from August.
Economics
Oct 05, 2026
Two-Story Foyer Share Edges Up in 2025
In 2025, around a quarter of new homes were built with a two-story foyer, slightly up from 2024, according to data obtained from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC) and tabulated by NAHB.