The Big Picture
In early September 2026, the New Democrat Coalition (NDC), a center-left caucus of pragmatic House Democrats focused on advancing innovative, solutions-oriented policies, hosted a roundtable to discuss housing policy with real estate industry stakeholders. NDC Vice Chair for Outreach Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Calif.) and NDC Housing Working Group Chairs Rep. Norma Torres (D-Calif.) and Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Ohio) joined the roundtable along with 20 NDC colleagues to hear directly from industry and policy stakeholders about near- and long-term solutions to the nation’s housing affordability and supply challenges.
NAA Shares Pro-Housing Solutions
The discussion brought together NDC members and leading voices from the housing sector, including NAA’s Nicole Upano, Assistant Vice President, Housing Policy and Regulatory Affairs, to discuss proposals and reforms that can expand supply, improve financing, modernize federal programs and reduce barriers that slow housing production and preservation.
Industry representatives emphasized that addressing the housing crisis will require a broad policy approach that supports all forms of housing. The discussion highlighted the need for improving development and financing processes, strengthening tax credit tools, removing regulatory barriers, preserving aging affordable housing and ensuring that federal housing assistance programs work more efficiently for both renters and housing providers.
Another discussion topic focused on voucher reform and resident support. NAA’s Nicole Upano noted that administrative delays and payment uncertainty have contributed to a decline in housing provider participation in the Section 8 program with 55,000 landlords leaving the program between 2010 and 2020. She identified opportunities to improve program performance, including timely payment requirements, risk mitigation funding and proposed a direct-to-tenant, electronic benefit transfer payment system pilot to reduce administrative friction and incentivize Section 8 program participation.
Deeper Dive
Overall, the roundtable underscored strong interest among New Democrat Coalition members in advancing pragmatic housing reforms to expand supply, improve affordability, modernize federal programs and reduce regulatory friction. Participants encouraged lawmakers to pursue policies that remain workable for the renters and housing providers they are intended to serve.
NAA remains committed to promoting the interests of the rental housing industry and working with Congress to develop pro-housing industry policies to benefit housing providers and residents alike.
For more timely updates on the industry’s advocacy, register for our monthly Advocacy and Legal Webinar (ALW) series and tune in every third Wednesday of the month at 2 p.m. ET. This webinar is exclusively for NAA members and affiliate partners.