Harris-Walz’s YIMBY Record

“By the end of my first term, we will end America’s housing shortage by building 3 million new homes and rentals that are affordable for the middle class, and we will do that together. We will do that together.”

- Vice President Kamala Harris.

Vice President Kamala Harris
Promises to Boost America’s Housing Supply

On August 16, Vice President Harris announced her “urgent and comprehensive” four-year plan to end America’s housing shortage, building off efforts already put into motion by the Biden-Harris administration. The Vice President’s plan calls for: 

  • The construction of 3 million additional housing units over four years

  • A $40 billion fund for businesses building affordable rental units

  • Streamlining the permitting and review processes on the state and local level

  • Tax incentives for developers who build homes sold to first-time homebuyers

The Biden-Harris Administration
Brings YIMBYism to the White House

In under four years, the Biden-Harris administration has elevated YIMBY policies to the White House, bringing together multiple federal agencies and dedicating hundreds of millions of dollars to accelerate housing construction across the country. 

In 2022, it announced the Housing Supply Action Plan, a five-year plan to close the housing supply gap. Under the mandate of that plan, the Administration has since: 

  • Cut red tape to expedite housing construction: Through the Pathways to Removing Obstacles (PRO) Housing program, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced $100 million in available funding to help communities remove barriers to building new housing. In June, Vice President Harris announced the program’s first grantees, 20 cities and states around the country. Grantees received $85 million to update housing plans, land use policies, and permitting processes to spur the production of affordable housing.

  • Streamlined federal financing for multifamily housing: This summer, HUD and the Department of the Treasury announced the expansion of the Multifamily Risk Sharing Program to provide interest rate certainty to partner finance agencies, mitigating the risk of developing multifamily housing. 

  • Incentivized private sector investment in affordable housing: In March of this year, the White House announced a $37 billion investment in the expansion of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), the largest federal incentive for affordable  housing construction. Along with other modifications to the LIHTC requirements, this expansion is expected to build or preserve 1.2 million affordable housing units.

  • Accelerated the development of transit-oriented housing: New guidance from the Department of Transportation aims to streamline the process for obtaining loans for residential developments near transit, including conversions of commercial buildings to residential use. This is part of a broader effort to make housing more accessible and reduce commuting burdens for residents​.

  • Repurposed surplus land for housing construction: The Biden-Harris administration has directed a number of federal agencies to assess vacant or underutilized land that can be reallocated for the construction of low-cost and climate-resilient  housing. These actions are expected to facilitate the construction of thousands of affordable housing units nationwide while simultaneously protecting the local environment.

  • Helped communities leverage low-interest loan financing: HUD’s Legacy Challenge provides communities around the country with up to $250 million in low-interest loans through Section 108 for a wide range of transformational  housing investments, including: office-to-residential conversions, utility installations or upgrades, and rehabilitation of existing housing.  

  • Promoted innovative housing solutions: The plan includes measures to support the development of small-scale housing, easing the financial burden for homeowners who wish to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs). In addition, HUD announced forthcoming improvements to the standards governing manufactured home construction to allow for duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, reducing construction price in dense urban areas.

As a result of these policies, the United States has seen its highest levels of housing production in over half a century under President Biden and Vice President Harris.

Governor Tim Walz’s
Groundbreaking YIMBY Record

As Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz enacted historic legislation to boost housing construction across the state:

  • The end of single-family zoning: In 2022, Governor Walz signed a law that finally ended single-family zoning in Minneapolis, allowing duplexes and triplexes to be built on previously single-family-zoned land. Last year, he signed a bill instructing the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to update its building code to allow for single egress (single-stair) buildings up to 75’ tall, paving the way for more multifamily housing in dense urban areas. 

  • Historic housing investments: Last year, Governor Walz signed a $1 billion omnibus housing bill, representing the largest single investment in housing in Minnesota history. The bill contained provisions for payment assistance, housing infrastructure, and more. Later that year, he approved a further $350 million to fund affordable housing.

  • Beating the Housing Crisis in Minneapolis: Between 2017 and 2022, Minneapolis grew its housing stock by 12%, all while keeping rent growth 30% below the national average.