Overview

• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the White House will roll out housing measures in the coming weeks and described the effort as an "all hands on deck" response.
• He said Trump's team may declare a national housing emergency this fall to accelerate action on affordability.
• Options under review include standardizing elements of local building and zoning codes, simplifying permitting, and lowering closing costs to raise supply.
• Bessent also floated tariff exclusions for some construction materials, even as Trump's emergency-based tariff moves have drawn recent court pushback.
• Officials noted falling rents and forecast more sales if interest rates ease, while positioning affordability as a centerpiece of the 2026 Republican midterm agenda.