On March 13, 2026, Donald Trump signed two executive orders aimed at tackling one of the country’s most persistent economic pressures: housing affordability.
The orders take on two major pieces of the problem—how expensive and difficult it is to build new homes, and how accessible mortgage financing is for buyers. Together, they are designed to increase housing supply while making it easier for qualified buyers to secure loans.
Whether they deliver meaningful results remains to be seen, but many housing experts say the approach targets the right pressure points in a market strained by rising prices and limited inventory.
For years, economists and industry groups have warned that the United States faces a significant housing shortage. A major reason: the cost and complexity of building.
The first executive order directs federal agencies to review—and potentially roll back—regulations that add cost or delay to construction. That includes environmental reviews, water and energy standards, building codes, and restrictions affecting manufactured housing. Supporters argue those layers of regulation have steadily driven up costs and slowed development.
Builders have been quick to support the move. Carl Harris, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders, said the housing affordability crisis is directly tied to regulatory burdens, including inefficient permitting and zoning rules that increase costs and limit the production of attainable housing.
According to the NAHB, regulatory costs account for roughly 24 percent of the price of a new single-family home and more than 40 percent of apartment development costs.
If those barriers are reduced, builders may be more likely to produce entry-level homes, townhomes and manufactured housing, segments where shortages are most acute.
The second executive order focuses on financing.
It calls for a review of mortgage regulations put in place after the 2008 financial crisis, including disclosure requirements and lending standards that some lenders say have become overly complex.
Federal agencies are also directed to encourage lending by community banks, modernize appraisal systems using digital tools and expand access to funding through the Federal Home Loan Bank system.
Officials say the goal is to increase competition among lenders and make mortgages more accessible for qualified buyers.
The order also promotes the use of hybrid and desktop appraisals, which could lower costs and speed up transactions.
If the policies work as intended, several outcomes could follow.
Reducing regulatory barriers could increase housing construction, helping to rebalance supply and demand. Expanded mortgage access could allow more buyers—particularly first-time buyers—to enter the market. And modernization of appraisal and lending systems could streamline transactions and reduce closing costs.
Taken together, the orders attempt to address both sides of the housing equation: supply and financing.
Still, federal action alone may have limits.
Many of the most significant barriers to homebuilding exist at the local level, where zoning and land-use decisions are made. While the federal government can influence those policies through funding and regulation, it does not directly control them.
States, which ultimately hold that authority, can step in, but doing so is often politically difficult. The housing shortage developed over decades, and any meaningful shift will likely take time.
Even so, the orders signal a renewed federal focus on affordability and homeownership. Their long-term impact will depend not only on how agencies implement the changes, but also on whether state and local governments follow suit in making it easier to build the homes the country needs.
Richard Roznos has been a licensed realtor since 2022, serving Reno, Sparks, Fernley and Fallon. Drawing on experience in project management and land acquisitions since 2018, he works with residential and commercial clients, including first-time buyers, sellers and investors. Known for his problem-solving, negotiation skills and guidance through complex transactions, Richard helps clients navigate the Northern Nevada real estate market with confidence.
Richard Roznos Realtor, LPT Realty S.197449, (775) 453-0187
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