The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and National Apartment Association (NAA) sent a letter to the Trump administration seeking a review of 32 federal programs, rules and regulations at 10 different agencies that may impede the creation of new rental housing and stifle housing affordability.
Citing the administration’s pledge to cut through regulation, the organizations argued the regulations have created more problems than solutions. Among the regulations cited are the Department of Energy’s Appliance Efficiency Standards and Building Energy Codes and Performance Standards; the Department of Homeland Security’s proposed rulemaking for the Cybersecurity Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act; the Federal Communications Commission’s Digital Discrimination Order; and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s three new servicing requirements.
“This past autumn, voters across the country made clear that lowering the cost of housing was a top priority for candidates up and down the ballot,” said NMHC President Sharon Wilson Géno. “Elected officials in both parties and at all levels of government understand that action needs to be taken to deal with the housing affordability challenges facing the nation. Regulatory reform is one step the administration can take to immediately support the building of badly needed housing and making it more affordable.”
NAA President and CEO Robert Pinnegar added that his organization’s members “have made it clear: less regulation opens the door to providing more housing. Reviewing these federal compliance burdens would be a solid first step towards allowing the private sector to build and operate without the financial and administrative costs of overregulation.”
In California regulations and fees are up to 50% of the expense to build, and delay housing for months at a time. If a Licensed Civil Engineer and Architect design per Codes, the local government should not be able to stick their noses in just to charge more fees and unnecessary delays! Housing could easily become more affordable with regulations reform!