The U.S. Conference of Mayors came out in support of Realtor.com’s Let America Build campaign, which calls for reducing regulations to spur housing development. 

In a bipartisan best-practice policy statement approved at its annual meeting in Tampa, the conference cited the growing housing-affordability problems facing the United States and pushed for local officials to update housing policies, reduce barriers and revise zoning and permitting to support development — all planks of the Let America Build platform. 

“Homeownership was the American dream, but it’s become an impossible dream for too many people — especially young people, who want the same opportunities to make a life previous generations had,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in a press release. “That’s why mayors across the country are tackling the affordability crisis head on and championing pro-housing policies that make it easier to put more houses on the ground and let people not only dream again but fulfill those dreams.” 

Realtor.com launched Let America Build at the SXSW festival in Austin earlier this year. The initiative calls on lawmakers to make “pro-housing” choices that unlock supply and promote affordability, including exploring opening federal land for residential development. 

“Mayors are on the frontlines of the housing crisis, and we applaud the U.S. Conference of Mayors for joining the call to Let America Build,” Realtor.com CEO Damian Eales said. “This campaign is about working together with local leaders, builders and industry partners to advocate for practical, pro-building solutions. We must break through red tape and restrictive zoning to create a future where more Americans can find a place to call home.”