One of “Washington’s 500 Most Influential People Shaping Public Policy” has been named Chief Advocacy Officer of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).
Ken Wingert was penned for that list by the Washingtonian Magazine in 2023 and welcomed by the NAHB this week. A government affairs professional with more than 20 years of policy and management experience, Wingert will lead the association’s advocacy efforts. These include Federal Government Affairs; BUILD-PAC, NAHB’s political action committee; State and Local Government Affairs; Housing Finance; Legal Advocacy; and Regulatory Affairs departments.
“We are thrilled to have Ken at the helm of NAHB’s important advocacy efforts, particularly in this pivotal election season where housing is a key issue,” said NAHB CEO Jim Tobin. “His deep understanding of housing policy issues and extensive industry experience will be a huge asset to NAHB and its efforts to advocate for our members and keep housing at the forefront.”
Home builders are gearing up for more business this fall. NAHB reported increases to all three of its September housing market indices.
Wingert comes to NAHB from Monument Advocacy, where he led a financial services practice. Prior to that organization, he served as the head of Federal Government Relations at Zillow and held lobbying positions for the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the Associated Builders and Contractors. He worked on several state- and federal-level political campaigns as well.
“Housing affordability is a top tier issue for voters, and NAHB is well-positioned to drive the policy discussion at all levels of government with solutions to solve the affordability crisis,” Wingert said. “We simply need more housing supply, and we need a political and regulatory environment that allows builders to build. I’m incredibly excited to be joining the talented team at NAHB at such an important moment for housing.”
Also named a Top Lobbyist by The Hill, Wingert holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Communications from the University of Iowa and a Masters in Real Estate Finance from Georgetown University.
Builder sentiment is rising as new home sales begin to improve. The Fed lowered its benchmark rate by 50 basis points this September. An additional 50-bps cut anticipated by year's end should support new construction growth into 2025.
