Despite the increased attention, housing affordability did not appear to be a key issue for voters

Much has been said this election cycle about housing affordability as a potential difference maker, with both major-party presidential candidates paying more attention to housing issues than in other recent campaigns.

But now that the results have been largely defeated, voters have appeared to support basic economic issues rather than housing-related issues. By comparison, housing was a more prominent issue at the national level among Democratic candidates than among Republicans.

With the return of Donald Trump to The White House in January, the former president and now president-elect appeared to be tapping into the general discontent among voters at large on two key issues: immigration and the economy.

The latest Redfin survey data showed that 29% of self-identified Trump voters indicated that housing availability influenced their choice on Tuesday. But based on exit polls conducted by NBC News and a consortium of 10 news organizations in 10 key states, the economic climate was a clear motivator for those identified as Trump voters.

A combined 67% of poll respondents asked about the state of the economy said it was “not so good” or “poor,” and a clear majority came down on Trump’s side. About 70% of Republicans view the state of the economy this way, and Trump has for years opposed high inflation rates under the Biden administration as a key issue in connecting with voters.

Forty-five percent of voters surveyed said their family’s financial situation is worse today than it is this time in 2020. Of this group, 80% identified themselves as Trump voters.

An exit poll conducted by The Washington Post also showed that Trump voters were clearly motivated by the state of the economy, with 79% of his supporters saying it was their top issue heading into the election. Of all voters, 31% said the economy was their top issue, with only the “state of democracy” surpassing the economy as the most important motivator for 35% of all voters.

In what may be a clear sign of its lack of prominence as part of the economic crisis, housing was not excluded from the exit polls in this mainstream media.

But supply and affordability will need to be addressed by the Trump administration over the next four years, along with other housing agencies — including Community Home Lenders of America (CHLA) – expressed readiness to work with elected officials to address these challenges.

In the next few months, Trump will need to make important decisions about the housing policy stance in his White House. This will include choosing the leaders of US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), i Federal Housing Administration (FHA), i Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), Ginnie Mae as well as Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

As mentioned earlier HousingWire reporting and an up-to-date look at potential policy positions PoliticsTrump has talked about easing regulations on homebuilders in an effort to increase supply. The 2024 Republican platform also mentioned the sale of federal land to allow for the construction of more homes.

The Biden administration has previously proposed a plan that would include selling federal lands, but it’s unclear how states with large amounts of federal land — like Utah — would be affected by the move. The plan may also deserve more or less consideration by the new White House.

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