Making housing more affordable: Issues at stake in the 2024 election

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While inflation has slowed and the U.S. economy remains strong, the high cost of housing is a significant source of economic pressure for many Americans. Homeowners and renters alike pay increasingly higher percentages of their income on housing, and homelessness reached a record high in 2023.

As the country heads to the polls in November, how are policymakers proposing to address the shortfall of affordable housing? What steps are cities and states taking to reform local zoning and permitting challenges?

On September 23, Brookings hosted a live recording of The Current podcast as part of the Election ’24 initiative to address the issues at stake for voters in this year’s elections. Senior Fellow Jenny Schuetz and San Francisco Chronicle Washington Correspondent Shira Stein discussed the state of the U.S. housing crisis, what policies are showing promise for increasing affordability, and what more federal and local lawmakers can do to incentivize homebuilding and make rent and homebuying costs more affordable.

This event is a part of Election ’24: Issues at Stake, a Brookings initiative aimed at bringing public attention to consequential policy issues confronting voters and policymakers in the run up to the 2024 election. This includes equipping leaders with insights and policy ideas to help them govern in 2025 and beyond.