Pro-Trump group unveils 'Make Housing Great Again' housing blueprint

The America First Policy Institute and influencer Benny Johnson launched the 'Make Housing Great Again' initiative and released a white paper proposing supply-side deregulation, local incentives, and buyer-focused measures to address housing affordability.

The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) and conservative influencer Benny Johnson announced the 'Make Housing Great Again' initiative in November and this week published a policy white paper outlining their approach to housing affordability. The initiative lists former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and developer Michael Burkentine as advisers. The paper frames rising home prices and delayed homeownership as central concerns and sets out supply-side and financial measures. It proposes federal incentives to encourage local deregulation and direct benefits for prospective buyers. Key points: - The initiative is led by Benny Johnson with AFPI; Ben Carson and Michael Burkentine are named as advisers. - The white paper describes housing affordability trends, citing a 167% rise in home prices over the past half-century and comparing median income and home price growth from 2000 to 2024. - Policy goals the report highlights include incentivizing local deregulation, reducing construction costs, expanding a revamped "Opportunity Zones Plus," and boosting the skilled trades workforce pipeline. - The initiative proposes targeted financial measures such as tax-advantaged savings plans, a family formation mortgage credit, a fixed 30-year mortgage option for first-time buyers backed by HUD, and a proposed regional housing fund the report calls the TRUMP Fund. - The paper also calls for steps to reduce foreign demand for U.S. homes and for stronger guardrails against predatory lending, including a suggested 36% APR cap for many consumer loans as described in the report. - The effort frames these proposals as actions it will promote to federal and local officials, with eligibility for some funds tied to local deregulatory steps reported in the white paper. Summary: The white paper sets out a suite of conservative policy proposals focused on increasing housing supply and offering buyer-focused financial incentives, and the initiative intends to press federal and local officials on these ideas. Undetermined at this time.