National Emergency 101: Could It Actually Help Housing?

Mortgage Research Network Podcast · Sep 17, 2025 · 4m

Home prices up 403% since 1985 while incomes rose 252%—no wonder “national housing emergency” is entering the chat. In this episode, Tim Lucas and Craig Berry explain what a declaration really is, what powers it could unlock, and where it would still hit walls. You’ll learn:What a “national emergency” means: Why a declaration doesn’t require a natural disaster, and how past emergencies guide what housing actions might look likePossible levers: Opening select federal land for housing, rolling back tariffs on materials (e.g., Canadian lumber, Mexican drywall), and trimming FHA costs (e.g…