Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) has called on President Trump to declare a national housing emergency while introducing a new bill that would grant him executive power to increase home construction production.
In an interview with MS Now, Slotkin said that her National Housing Emergency Act of 2026 would empower Trump to use the Defense Production Act to direct domestic industries to produce the materials and services needed to accommodate an upswing in homebuilding. Slotkin’s bill, which does not have bipartisan support, would also enact a freeze on all federal, state and local regulations that drive up construction costs while creating a “Pro-Growth Requirement” for communities that links federal funding with an upswing in homebuilding.
“All the events going on, especially abroad, with military action, only firm up for me why we need to be doing something on housing,” Slotkin said. “So, for all the president’s bluster about declaring emergencies abroad and on Canada, to me, we have a housing emergency in the United States of America. We need to treat it as such, we need to declare it, and we need to do some pretty sweeping changes to our system until we can come out of this emergency when we build another 4 million units of housing. That’s how far behind we are.”
Slotkin offered a negative reaction to the president’s announcement that he would seek a ban of corporate purchasing of single-family housing.
“It’s just, frankly, throwing something out there so that he can say he’s done something on housing,” she said. “I feel like it’s kind of like a throwaway, and I think the fact that it has been a part of other plans in the past means that he’s just looking for something to fill that void.”
The White House did not comment on Slotkin’s remarks or legislation.
Photo courtesy of the White House
I agree something has to be done or it gonna just get worse.
Definitely need to ban corporate companies buying up housing! I also we need to incorporate incentives for builders who can start focusing on building smaller starter homes. Not everyone wants or can afford the 3,000+sqft home. Let’s get realistic and practical with what the average buyer needs. Get the middle class off the sidelines and able to buy homes again.
You think a President that lives in Mar A Lago cares about low and middle class??
the problem is supply , no one wants to sell right now , lower interest rates are needed along with cuts to capital gains taxes will give more people incentive to sell
It has to do with greed, the country is full of greedy people, why do we allow corporations to buy and resell homes and apartment buildings and each time they sell for more and the rents go up. Why don’t we pay hardworking people living wages? Why do corporate presidents make so much more? Greed!