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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the Trump administration is considering declaring a “national housing emergency” this fall as part of an effort to address rising housing costs and make affordability a central issue heading into the 2026 elections.
In an interview with The Washington Examiner, Bessent said the administration wants to make affordability the core of its economic message.
“We may declare a national housing emergency in the fall,” he said.
Bessent did not outline every policy under consideration but suggested the administration may seek to standardize zoning laws, lower closing costs, and create tariff exemptions for certain housing materials. He noted that complicated zoning requirements can reduce housing supply and drive up costs, but emphasized that the administration is still exploring its options.
“We’re trying to figure out what we can do, and we don’t want to step into the business of states, counties, and municipal governments,” Bessent said. “I think everything is on the table.”
The discussion comes as President Donald Trump has pressed Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to cut interest rates, a move the administration says would also ease housing costs by reducing borrowing expenses.
Bessent also pointed to the potential benefits of tariff exemptions in lowering prices on construction materials, though no final policy decisions have been announced.
Looking ahead, the Treasury secretary struck an optimistic tone about the broader economy.
“I think we’re going to see a big economic pickup in 2026,” Bessent said, gesturing to the owner of the restaurant where the interview was held. “This very, very, very nice young lady here, who’s had this restaurant for 32 years, she’s going to get a large tax refund of the ‘No Tax on Tips.’ So 2026 is going to be a good year.”
If declared, a “national housing emergency” would mark one of the Trump administration’s most direct interventions in the housing market and could reshape the policy debate ahead of the midterm elections.