NMHC/NAA Viewpoint A balanced housing policy reflects a community's need for a variety of housing choices to meet residents' financial and lifestyle needs and poses no disadvantage to those supporting or choosing apartment living.
America is a growing and diverse nation. Meeting its housing needs will require equally diverse options. The strongest communities incorporate a mix of housing - and that includes apartments.
Nearly 37 million Americans are building their lives in apartment homes. They include young professionals starting out, empty nesters looking to downsize, workers wanting to live near their jobs, married couples without children and families building a better life.
And demand for apartments continues to grow thanks to changing demographics and changing lifestyles. Harvard University research suggests that up to half of all households formed this decade - that’s as many as seven million households - could be renters.
The apartment industry stands ready to meet that demand and create millions of jobs in the process. The industry helps build vibrant communities by offering housing choice, supporting local small businesses, creating millions of jobs and contributing to the fabric of communities across the country. Apartments and their residents contribute $3.4 trillion annually to the economy.
To get there, the country needs public policies that avoid making it harder for renters and their families to find the housing that makes sense for them. America needs a balanced housing policy.
A balanced housing policy respects the rights of individuals to choose the housing option that best meets their financial and lifestyle needs; promotes healthy and livable communities by encouraging responsible land use and supporting the production of a variety of housing types; and recognizes that all housing types - along with their residents - make positive economic, political and social contributions to their communities.
Moreover, a balanced housing policy acknowledges the role financing, tax, energy, environmental and other regulations have in the housing industry and the direct effect they can have on affordability.
