By National Association of Home Builders
The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today called on Congress to help ease the housing affordability crisis by supporting policies that preserve energy choice, ensure access to a full range of appliances and maintain flexibility in building energy codes that are critical to keep housing affordable and attainable for America’s families.
Testifying before a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee, NAHB Chairman Buddy Hughes, a builder and developer from Lexington, N.C., told lawmakers that home builders nationwide are facing mounting obstacles that directly impact housing supply and affordability.
“Among the most pressing regulatory challenges are mandates on energy building codes, appliance standards and restrictions on fuel choice,” said Hughes. “While often well-intentioned, these requirements add thousands of dollars to the cost of a home, limit consumer freedom, and take important design and lifestyle decisions out of the hands of American families.”
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration’s Winter Heating Outlook, households using natural gas were projected to spend an average of $602 on heating last winter—about 42% less than the $1,037 forecast for households relying on electricity. Over the past decade, the low cost of American natural gas has saved residential customers an estimated $125 billion in home energy costs.
“NAHB strongly believes that increasing the supply of new single-family and multifamily housing is critical to addressing affordability, but policies that drive up costs and limit choice will only make the problem worse,” said Hughes. “When mandates impose rigid energy codes or restrict appliance choice, they not only raise costs but also strip families of those options.”
Hughes called on Congress to support and advance the Energy Choice Act, legislation that would prevent state and local governments from banning the use of natural gas energy in new homes. “Enacting this legislation will help protect housing affordability, strengthen energy reliability, and allow communities to pursue common-sense, cost-effective solutions that balance environmental goals with the economic realities of consumers,” he said.
