NAHB Mourns the Passing of Past President David C. Smith
David Clark Smith, NAHB President for 1986, passed away Sunday at the age of 90.
Smith was born in rural Virginia and grew up on a farm in Maryland. After a stint in the Army National Guard, Smith built his first home for his wife and himself in 1953.
In 1959, he opened his own home building company, David C. Smith, Inc., a company that still does business as David C. Smith & Sons in Virginia.
During his career, Smith built some 1,500 homes, mostly in Maryland. He was very active in the NAHB Federation at the local level, serving as President of the Frederick County HBA, the HBA of Suburban Maryland, the Maryland HBA and the Metropolitan Washington Builders Council. He also founded the Upper Montgomery County Builders Association, which was unaffiliated with NAHB.
Once he engaged with NAHB at the national level, Smith was very active, serving as Maryland state rep and being elected President in 1986. He was inducted into the Housing Hall of Fame in 1992.
Smith was also politically active, meeting several U.S. Presidents during his career and winning an appointment from George Bush to the Federal Home Loan Bank Board of Atlanta.
A funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024, at Obaugh Funeral Home in McDowell, Va.
Watch a brief clip below of Smith describing his career in his own words.
Latest from NAHBNow
Economics | Advocacy
Oct 09, 2026
Podcast: 7.5% Mortgage Rates ‘New Normal’ Until Geopolitical Issues Resolved
On the latest episode of NAHB podcast Housing Developments, NAHB Chief Economist Dr. Robert Dietz joins CEO Jim Tobin and COO Paul Lopez to discuss the latest economic forecasts and how they have changed this year due to geopolitical turmoil.
IBS
Oct 08, 2026
IBS Remodeled Show Home Uses Holistic Approach to Boost Efficiency
The New American Remodel 2027 will be much more than a beautiful show home. It will highlight just how far building products and techniques have advanced in a relatively short period of time.
Latest Economic News
Economics
Oct 09, 2026
Private Water and Sewer Systems in 2025 New Single-Family Homes
The share of new single-family homes built with individual wells and septic systems increased in 2025 compared to the previous year. According to NAHB’s analysis of the Census Bureau’s Survey of Construction (SOC), approximately 10% of single-family homes started in 2025 were served by individual (private) wells, and 17% relied on individual septic systems.
Economics
Oct 08, 2026
Remodeling Market Sentiment Remains Stable in Third Quarter Despite Headwinds
In the third quarter of 2026, the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI) posted a reading of 62, up one point compared to the previous quarter. The RMI has remained within a narrow band between 59 and 70 for the past four years.
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%.