Housing Execs Press Congress To Address Supply Shortfall

The Executive Council for Housing Affordability — an alliance of corporate leaders organized by the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy — has issued a call for Congress to swiftly pass comprehensive housing legislation to confront the nation’s housing affordability crisis.

In their letter to Reps. French Hill, Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, and Maxine Waters, Ranking Member on the House Committee on Financial Services, the Executive Council emphasizes that today’s challenges stem fundamentally from a shortage of homes available for both rent and purchase. This combined scarcity has driven housing costs to unsustainable levels for millions of families, while simultaneously constraining the broader economy. When workers cannot find affordable places to live, labor mobility declines, productivity suffers, and economic growth slows. The Executive Council argues that improving affordability is not only a social imperative, but also critical to national economic vitality and opportunity.

To address the core supply deficit, the group outlines several priorities, including:

• Accelerating permitting processes so homes can be built more quickly
• Reducing regulatory burdens that slow production
• Supporting a variety of housing types to meet diverse community needs

Preserving existing affordable housing stock is equally important, as is expanding access to sustainable homeownership. The Council stresses that solving the crisis will require a balanced strategy that strengthens both the rental and ownership markets.

The letter applauds recent bipartisan action in Congress, particularly the Senate Banking Committee’s passage of the ROAD to Housing Act of 2025. Sponsored by Senate Banking Committee Chair Tim Scott, Senate Banking Committee Ranking Member Elizabeth Warren, and their Senate colleagues, the ROAD to Housing Act signals a growing bipartisan commitment to tackling the nation’s housing shortages.

The Executive Council also notes that the House of Representatives is considering several additional bipartisan proposals aimed at increasing housing supply, modernizing financing mechanisms, reducing regulatory obstacles, and advancing economic mobility. Together, these initiatives reflect a pragmatic approach that could make a significant difference in expanding access to affordable rental units and homeownership opportunities.

The Executive Council situates the current moment in historical context, recalling the landmark Housing Act of 1949. That bipartisan measure established the nation’s long-standing goal of ensuring “a decent home and a suitable living environment for every American family.” More than seven decades later, the council argues, the country faces a similar inflection point. With millions of Americans burdened by high housing costs and supply shortages worsening across communities, Congress once again has the ability to enact transformative, historic legislation. The letter urges lawmakers to seize this moment, act with bipartisan resolve, and advance comprehensive reforms that will strengthen housing affordability, support economic growth, and expand opportunity for households nationwide.

Corporate representatives of the Executive Council for Housing Affordability signing the letter include:

• Andrea Gift Allan, Managing Director, Real Estate, Pretium
• Tatiana Gutierrez, Managing Director, Corporate Affairs, Pretium
• Tanner Daniel, Director, Federal Government Affairs, Citi
• Michael Dendas, Director of Federal Government Relations, Zillow
• Julie May, Vice President and General Manager of B2B Scores, FICO
• Kristen Sawin, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Weyerhaeuser
• Sipho Simela, Founder and CEO, Matrix Rental Solutions
• Olivia Barrow Strauss, Vice President of Neighborhood Development for Corporate Responsibility, JPMorganChase