NAHB's Priorities for LegCon 2026

The nation's residential construction industry faces a range of challenges to address housing affordability, with many coming as a direct result of federal policy decisions.

That’s why members of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)—including builders, remodelers, suppliers, and other industry professionals—are going to Capitol Hill on June 10 to ensure their voices are heard.

Through NAHB’s annual Legislative Conference, members will meet directly with their state’s elected officials to make sure lawmakers understand the industry’s perspective and the real-world impacts of federal decisions. In 2025, more than 1,000 NAHB members held 250 meetings with their representatives and senators to address the rising cost of housing for hardworking Americans.

At the Legislative Conference, NAHB members will advocate for a host of issues, including energy policy, workforce development, and land use reforms. With a nationwide shortage of roughly 1.2 million homes, according to NAHB analysis, it’s vital for Congress to act and remove obstacles for builders.

Protecting Energy Choice

NAHB is working to pass the Energy Choice Act, legislation that would prevent state and local governments from banning access to natural gas and other energy sources in new homes. Many states have explored instituting a ban on natural gas for new homes and other buildings, and some have taken measures to make such policy a reality.

According to the American Gas Association, a baseline natural gas home saves owners more than $1,000 per year compared to an all-electric home. In many colder climates, going fully electric can add as much as $15,000 in upfront costs to a home for equipment capable of handling winter heating demands.

NAHB supports an "all-of-the-above" approach to energy. The goal is to protect consumer energy choice, preserve housing affordability, and ensure builders can continue offering the appliances and energy options that work best for homeowners and different regions of the country.

The bill has gained significant momentum from NAHB’s efforts and currently has more than 150 bipartisan cosponsors in the House.

Clean Water Act Permitting Reform

NAHB has also prioritized reforms to permitting timelines and costs for builders pursuing development in areas that require a Clean Water Act (CWA) Section 404 permit.

NAHB's goal is to see an efficient and transparent Section 404 permitting process that gives builders the certainty to pursue new housing projects across the country.

Permitting timelines and costs nationwide increase the price of new housing, but Section 404 permits compound the issue through application preparation costs, lengthy and unpredictable delays in U.S. Army Corps of Engineers processing, and limitations on what projects can access the streamlined permitting process.

When builders can't obtain the streamlined nationwide permit, which costs about $50,000 and takes 313 days, they're pushed into the individual permit process, which costs more than $470,000 and takes 788 days for approval, according to a study published in the Natural Resources Journal. That cost gets passed directly to the buyer.

Opaque and costly CWA permitting processes worsen this problem by restricting development in many wetland areas, increasing costs by reducing how many homes can be built.

Section 404 changes supported by NAHB were included in the PERMIT Act, which the House passed in December 2025. NAHB is now engaged with the Senate as it continues bipartisan negotiations on broader permitting reform.

Workforce Development, Immigration, and a Landmark Housing Bill

Additionally, NAHB supports the passage of sensible immigration reform (Dignity Act) and workforce development legislation (CONSTRUCTS Act) to create a skilled labor force.

As of mid-May, NAHB was also engaged with House and Senate leaders as they negotiated one of the most consequential housing bills in decades, including land use and zoning reforms, streamlined environmental reviews, and regulatory reforms.

Registration is required to particpate in NAHB’s Legislative Conference on June 10, 2026 during the federation's Spring Leadership Meetings, June 9-13. Register today and stay updated on this year’s legislative victories by visiting nahb.org.