The White House, together with officials from HUD, Treasury, USDA and congressional staff, recently hosted a one-day conference entitled, “Next Generation Housing Policy,” to consider proposals on actions the Administration could take over the next five years on rental housing. While a variety of topics were discussed, recurring themes included the need to integrate housing policy with other areas, such as education, energy, transportation, health, and education; and the importance of policies that support economic development and independence. Panels throughout the day also covered:
- Rental housing markets and current federal policies;
- Recommendations to help combat poverty, address social inequity issues, and create new incentives for wealth-building;
- Recommendations to further community revitalization, sustainability, and fair housing; and
- Recommendations to better finance new construction, preservation, and sustainability of rental housing.
The conference was hosted by the offices that comprise the White House’s Rental Housing Policy Group. In attendance were Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council; Larry Summers, National Economic Council Director; HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan; Neal Wollin, Treasury Deputy Secretary; USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan; USDA Housing and Community Facilities Administrator Tammye Trevino; HUD Deputy Secretary for Multifamily Housing Carol Galante; and nearly 100 invited practitioners, advocates, academics, and other stakeholders. Following the conference, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan posted a blog on the White House & HUD websites. NH&RA’s CEO Peter Bell and Executive Director Thom Amdur were amongst the meeting’s participants. Read More…
