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
NAHB has launched the Safety Tip of the Week, a video series featuring quick tips focused on one narrow aspect of residential construction jobsite safety.
Despite persistent affordability challenges including elevated mortgage rates, new home sales improved in August. Now is a great time to sharpen home sales skills.
Latest Economic News
Consumer confidence in September plunged to the lowest level since April 2014 as consumers grew more pessimistic about current conditions and the economic outlook.
The number of open positions in the construction sector fell back in August per the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS). The current level of open jobs is down from three years ago due to declines in construction activity, particularly in housing.
New homes with 5,000 square feet or more of living space posted an increase in market share last year. In 2025, 27,000 homes of this size were started, accounting for 2.9% of all new homes started. Both the number and market share of homes with 5,000 square feet or more increased from 2024, according to annual data from the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC).