Families across the country, especially those with the lowest incomes, are struggling with the high cost of housing due to decades of underdevelopment, high construction costs and a shortage of homes for sale and rent, all combined with inadequately funded housing assistance. A national study published in late 2023 shows strong support for state and municipal policies to allow more houses of various types to be built to help lower costs.
The poll finds majority support typically greater than 60%, and often much higher among low-, moderate-, and high-income households, as well as among homeowners and renters, for most policies that would enable more construction of different types of houses. These policies are also widely popular among suburban, rural and urban dwellers.
Although there were modest differences between income levels and between homeowners and renters, in most cases the divergence was less than 10 percentage points; 9 out of 10 measures tested received majority support from respondents regardless of income or whether they rent or own their home.
Some policies, such as allowing housing near transit and job centers and allowing the conversion of commercial buildings to housing, saw modestly greater support from higher earners, while policies to allow townhouses and apartment buildings small multifamily in existing residential neighborhoods and allowing homes to be built closer together with smaller yards saw relatively stronger support among those with lower incomes.
Ipsos conducted the nationally representative survey of 5,051 people from September 8-17, 2023, for The Pew Charitable Trusts using the probability-based Knowledge Panel.
Zoning and land use regulations limit housing supply and increase housing costs. State and local governments are reforming their regulations to allow the private sector to build more housing, including more affordable units. Land use reforms to allow more homebuilding can help ease housing costs, especially for middle-income families, but federal and state investments are needed to address the housing needs of those with lower income. Many groups, including the National Low Income Housing Coalition, believe Congress should ensure that rental assistance is universally available to all eligible families and invest resources to build and maintain the supply of affordable housing for families with extremely low incomes, which cannot be served by the private sector without subsidies.
The survey also found broad agreement among those on lower, moderate and higher incomes about reasons to allow more housebuilding. All income levels cited making housing more affordable as the most compelling reason. Respondents with higher incomes were more likely to identify allowing people to live closer to offices, shops, restaurants or public transport as an excellent or good reason, while respondents with lower incomes were less most likely to cite freedom for property owners, reducing homelessness. , and reducing racial segregation as an excellent or good reason for efforts to create more housing.
When looking at homeowners and renters, the survey found alignment and strong support for policies to allow more homes. This broad support underscores the widespread effects of America’s worsening housing affordability crisis, affecting renters struggling to make rent payments or buying their first home, homeowners watching their children leave for cost-prone areas lower and homeowners stuck in their current homes, unable to move to larger ones to accommodate growing families.
Tenants expressed somewhat stronger support for policies that would allow more homes on single-family detached housing blocks, such as allowing townhouses and small multifamily buildings on residential lots, allowing homes to be built closer with smaller yards and allowing accessory dwelling units (also known as ADUs, granny flats, backyard cottages and townhouses). Meanwhile, homeowners expressed slightly stronger support for policies that would allow more homes to be built along commercial corridors, such as allowing housing near transit and job centers and allowing the conversion of commercial buildings to housing. Cities have found success in reducing housing costs with both approaches. Houston, for example, allows homes to be built closer together, and Minneapolis allows apartment homes to be built in commercial areas. States from Montana to Maine are also adopting policies to increase housing options and opportunities in residential and commercial areas.
Combining data about income levels and whether people are renters or owners reveals remarkable insight into the preferences of some homeowners. Higher-income homeowners, particularly those in the highest income bracket, express strong support for policies that would allow more homes to be built outside of existing residential neighborhoods. They include allowing housing near transit and work centers; allowing apartments near offices, shops and restaurants; and allowing the conversion of commercial buildings to housing. However, these higher-income homeowners expressed lower levels of support than most other respondents for policies that would allow more homes to be built in existing residential neighborhoods, including allowing townhomes and developing small multifamily units in each residential lot, removing requirements to provide off-street parking and permitting accessory dwelling units.
These positions contrast with higher levels of support among the general public for these policies, including renters of all income levels and homeowners making less than $100,000. These findings about policy preferences may help explain the opposition to new homes expressed during public meetings in some communities, especially when they would be built in single-family detached neighborhoods where homeowners with higher incomes are more likely to live. Research shows that those who speak at public meetings on housing issues generally have more negative views about allowing more housing than the wider community.
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