Nearly All Mayors Say Residents Are Concerned About Housing Affordability

Virtually every mayor polled in a recent survey said they're hearing affordability worries in their cities, according to a new U.S. Conference of Mayors poll.

In a poll released on Sept. 17, more than 96% of 113 mayors found residents are very or extremely concerned about affordability. And they were almost unanimous in saying that housing costs are the biggest factor.

“Americans are feeling squeezed by the cost of housing, groceries, utilities and other everyday necessities,” U.S. Conference of Mayors President Todd Gloria, who is mayor of San Diego, said in a statement.

He added that the "affordability crisis is a national one and it requires strong federal partnership to fix it.” It comes as Congress has spent the year trying to respond to Americans' loud concerns that things are getting more expensive.

About 94% of the mayors said the cost of living is rising in their cities and 39% said affordability has significantly worsened. It's not just housing, but also groceries, utilities, childcare, gas, and healthcare. Residents have less disposable income, and that's affecting local businesses, too, the mayors said.

About 76% of mayors said the affordability crisis means increased rents, and 56% said it means more evictions. Forty-three percent said the crisis is manifesting in delinquent utility bills. A number of mayors reported that their cities have come up with ideas to help make residents' lives easier.

But the strong majority of mayors said they want more federal resources to solve the problem. About 82% said the federal government needs to put more resources to building affordable housing, and 58% want relief from tariffs which affect building materials. They'd also like to see the government cut red tape to speed up building.

The 21st Century Road to Housing Act, a rare moment of DC bipartisanship, became law this year. But, while it's a first step, "there is much more work to do," said Gloria.

"America’s mayors are ready to keep working in our communities and with Congress and the Administration on practical solutions that make it easier for people to afford the communities they call home,” the mayor added.

Housing emerging as major issue for the midterms

More and more polls point to unaffordability in housing as a major damper on the national mood. That's not just for young people who are increasingly putting off homeownership, but people of all ages.

A Voss and Housing Narrative Lab survey this summer of 1,000 adults found 59% are personally worried about being able to afford rent or mortgage. Over half also said they thought those worries affectled their mental and physical health.

And it’s led people to put off saving for retirement, getting education, and canceling medical appointments, Jonathan Voss, founder of Voss Research Strategy, said in a webinar last week.

That’s given more support to interventions in the housing market, like rent control and encouraging more affordable home construction, Voss said.

Democratic Socialists, for instance, are putting a strong emphasis on pro-building housing policy in their recent string of wins.

“It’s just about everyone across demographics,” Voss said. “Everyone is worried and everyone has concerns.”

That's led to a strong undercurrent of affordability as both parties prepare for the midterms. Democrats and Republicans each have their own plans to tamp down housing costs, and they've cast the midterms as a referendum on President Donald Trump's policies.

Nonetheless, there's little evidence that the remainder of the year will bring any major changes to the affordability picture for U.S. housing.

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates last week for the first time in three years. And mortgage rates are approaching 7%, after hitting a three-year low of 5.98% in late February.