NIMBY Rules Are Key Driver of Housing Affordability Crisis, Says New NAHB Chair Bill Owens

Bill Owens is taking the gavel at the National Association of Home Builders at a crucial moment for the housing market, and he says that builders must play a key role in solving the affordability crisis.

Owens, NAHB's newly elected chairman for 2026, is a remodeler and homebuilder based in Worthington, OH, with more than 40 years in residential construction. He's also principal of Owens Construction, a design/build firm he founded in 1982.

In an email Q&A interview with Realtor.com®, he outlines an agenda focused on dismantling what he sees as the biggest barriers to supply: outdated land-use rules, overbearing regulation, and a chronic shortage of skilled labor.

Owens says NAHB must be "up to the challenge" as it approaches its 100th anniversary, rethinking how the association is structured so it can better help members boost production and lower costs for families.

He says today’s affordability crunch is partly the product of decades of NIMBY (Not In My Backyard) politics, which made it easier to block new housing than build it.

Owens vows to work with policymakers in both parties to overhaul local zoning, ease permitting, and fix supply chains so builders can close the supply gap.

In this wide-ranging interview, Owens discusses affordability, design trends, and the regulatory reforms he sees as key to boosting housing production.

You’re taking over as NAHB chair at a pivotal moment for housing. Realtor.com estimates the nation has a housing shortage of more than 4 million units. What’s your long-term vision for the homebuilding industry, and what role do you hope homebuilders can play in restoring balance to the market?

America faces a significant housing shortage. For years now, housing production has not kept pace with demand. Any solution to this challenge must flow through the homebuilders, because we are the ones scratching and clawing to increase production and meet that demand.

NAHB, working on behalf of our members, will be an important part of the equation. NAHB was founded in 1942, and in just 16 years, this association will be 100 years old. We must put in the work now to make sure NAHB is stronger when it reaches that century mark. 

We’ve got to make sure our association is up to the challenge—that the policies are in place that enable our members to increase production, ease the housing shortage, and lower costs for American families. 

I’m asking three questions: Are we who we need to be to get the job done? Are we organized in such a way to do what must be done? Do we have the courage, and are we willing to make the decisions our future requires?

We need to make sure NAHB is structured to best serve the men and women who go to work every day, building the homes this nation needs.

We are making a concerted effort to listen to our members and our local leaders, including our HBA executive officers. It is critical that we hear their concerns and their ideas. We must make sure NAHB, now and in the future, has the structure and capacity to help our members address their biggest challenges.

Affordability has become the defining challenge for first-time homebuyers. What does NAHB see as the biggest barriers keeping new homes out of reach for middle-income households?

There are many factors that contribute to the barriers constraining new-home production and lower-cost housing. These include a chronic shortage of skilled labor, supply chain disruptions that drive up materials costs, high interest rates, and needlessly burdensome regulations. 

But I want to focus on a particular challenge that I believe is central to the ongoing production shortage that has created the disparity between supply and demand: outdated land-use regulations.

For decades now, our nation has fostered a policy environment in which it is easier to stop things from being built than it is to build things. In one word, it is NIMBY-ism, which pits the interests of the “haves” against those of the “have nots,” often younger and less affluent people who desperately need housing.

The “haves” turn out for local planning meetings. They vote. They have the means to hire lawyers to stop proposed new development.

This battle between the represented and the unrepresented is not an even fight. The cumulative effect across decades of imbalance is that far fewer homes have been built than are needed to keep pace with demand. The result is higher rents and home prices.

Fortunately, thinkers across the political spectrum have recognized the injustice. State lawmakers recognize the need to encourage new-home production, and we’ve seen states like California, Delaware, Massachusetts, and others adopt laws that address the problem. 

In California, for example, Gov. Gavin Newsom in July signed into law a budget bill with many pro-housing provisions, including a six-year pause on adopting or amending new-home building codes.

These state-level policies are an important step in the right direction. NAHB will be working with stakeholders on both sides of the aisle to advance policies that yield more production and lower housing costs.

Builders often cite regulatory costs as a key driver of home prices. How much do regulations add to the cost of a new home, and where do you see the greatest opportunity to reduce that burden without compromising safety or quality?

NAHB economists have calculated that regulations account for roughly 23.8% of the cost of a new single-family home. That is more than $98,000 for a homebuyer purchasing a median-priced new home at about $415,000. Think about that—$98,000 spent on government regs.

Last year, NAHB gave the Trump administration a list of more than 35 recommendations to reduce the regulatory burden in the housing industry and lower costs for homebuyers. We’re pleased to see that the president is acting on some of the key issues on that list.

Just recently, President Donald Trump issued two executive orders on housing to remove regulatory barriers and provide better access to mortgage credit that will help ease the nation’s housing affordability crisis. 

The executive order on regulatory barriers calls for the Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support federal permitting reforms for residential construction under both wetlands and stormwater requirements. It also calls on the chairman of the Council on Environmental Quality to issue guidance maximizing categorical exclusions under the National Environmental Policy Act for housing construction and related activities.

It also directs the Secretary of Commerce, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Secretary of Transportation, and the Director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency to eliminate unduly burdensome rules and reform programs that constrain residential development and housing affordability.

These actions are part of a broader deregulatory effort by this administration that will really make a difference over time. 

Rising material and labor costs continue to strain projects. What’s the most realistic path toward cost relief: Supply chain improvements, workforce expansion, or new construction technology?

I’ll begin with the skilled-labor challenge. We have a staff team that manages the NAHB student chapters at schools across the country. They also manage the NAHB Student Competition, which every year is one of the most exciting events at the International Builders’ Show. That team works with our local homebuilders association partners to strengthen their workforce development efforts, including job fairs and educational programming at high schools and community colleges. The workforce development team also coordinates NAHB’s partnerships with youth organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America and SkillsUSA.

NAHB’s workforce development partner, the Home Builders Institute (HBI), provides vocational training, certification programs, and job placement services for the industry. HBI focuses on training youth, veterans, and underserved populations through pre-apprenticeship programs, including BuildStrong Academies and Job Corps partnerships.

The National Housing Endowment (NHE), NAHB’s philanthropic arm, supports construction management programs at more than 50 colleges across the country through its Housing Education Leadership Program. NHE also established the Skilled Labor Fund, which works to build the next generation of building trades professionals by attracting and training those who have the passion to work in our industry.

Regarding construction materials, NAHB wants to see a responsible increase in the domestic supply of lumber. We have also called on the Trump administration to negotiate a long-term softwood lumber agreement with Canada that will end lumber tariffs, help stabilize this volatile market, and give builders greater price stability.  

NAHB has also urged the president to exempt building materials as part of his tariff strategy because they raise construction costs, impede supply chains, and result in market and business uncertainty that makes it difficult for builders to price their homes.

How are builder priorities shifting in response to today’s buyer preferences in terms of style and design? Are there significant shifts in taste as Gen Z begins to enter the market?

Our economics team puts out a book called "What Home Buyers Really Want," based on extensive surveys and market research. It’s one of the best sellers on BuilderBooks.com.

The book offers indispensable data on features that homebuyers prioritize. It is particularly strong in highlighting demographic dynamics, delving into the nuances of buyer preferences based on demographic factors such as age, race/ethnicity, geographic location, and income or price point.

At our 2026 International Builders’ Show last month, Rose Quint, NAHB AVP of Survey Research, highlighted her findings from this research, which includes modifications that builders are making to address the affordability crisis. From the size of homes to the amenities included, builders are adapting to meet the needs of entry-level buyers.

"What Home Buyers Really Want" is an excellent resource for anyone who wants to understand the housing market.

How are baby boomers affecting new-home trends as more of them choose to age in place, and what specific design or community trends are your members leaning into to serve older homeowners who want independence but may need more support over time?

I’ve been a part of the Better Living Design Institute (BLD) for many years. BLD, based in Asheville, NC, seeks to change how homes are designed, built, and remodeled to better meet the needs of everyone at every stage of life. 

I think we’re going to see universal design become more accepted by consumers and better integrated into new-home construction. It has been an important part of Certified Aging in Place remodeling for a long time. But it is beginning to enjoy greater adoption in new homes. 

Obviously, universal design concepts such as a zero-step entry, wider doors and hallways, and a primary suite on a home’s entry level are particularly important for baby boomers, many of whom are experiencing the mobility issues that can come with age. 

But the idea is that these things make the home accessible to every person who enters. That should be important to everyone, not just to baby boomers.

The Senate recently passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. Can you explain why NAHB opposes a provision in the bill that would force investors to sell build-to-rent single-family homes after seven years?

The purpose of this landmark housing legislation is to boost the nation’s housing supply, and this provision would have the opposite effect. This government mandate to force the sale of purpose-built single-family rental housing based solely on the type of the owner would severely curtail investment in single-family rental housing, potentially leading to a decrease in new construction by as much as 40,000 units per year.

Reducing the supply of new rental housing would have an overall negative impact on housing affordability. Single-family rentals play an important role in the housing supply ecosystem, allowing families an opportunity to live in homes and neighborhoods that meet their financial and family needs. A forced sale of these homes could flood certain markets with excess inventory, negatively affecting home prices and appraisals. Existing tenants could also be forced to vacate their homes.

It does not make sense to limit investors from financing the construction of new homes. Closing the housing supply gap takes capital and investment from a wide range of sources, and this provision would arbitrarily restrict that investment at a time when it is needed most.

President Trump has talked frequently about expanding homeownership opportunities to more Americans. What are the top actions his administration could take to spur more homebuilding and improve affordability in 2026?

The president’s emphasis on reducing excessive regulations is a critical step. We will continue to work with the administration to identify common-sense regulatory reforms. The tax provisions in the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act will also help spur production.

As far as specific ideas, NAHB has a 10-point housing plan designed to ease the housing affordability crisis by removing barriers that hinder the construction of new homes and apartments.

The elements include: 1) Eliminate excessive regulations, 2) promote careers in the skilled trades, 3) fix building material supply chains and ease costs, 4) expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit to increase production of affordable and attainable housing, 5) overturn inefficient local zoning rules, 6) alleviate permitting roadblocks, 7) adopt reasonable and cost-effective building codes, 8) reduce local impact fees and other upfront taxes associated with housing construction, 9) make it easier for developers to finance new housing, and 10) update employment policies to promote flexibility and opportunity.

I should point out that the Trump administration is already working on several of these elements. We’re seeing real progress. 

Many of the elements of this plan can also be applied at the state and local levels. I encourage policymakers at all levels of government to give it a look. You can find it at nahb.org/plan.