NMHC Statement in Response to White House Announcement on Rental Housing Fees

NMHC members believe that transparency in the cost of rental housing is positive for renters and housing providers alike. While we support the voluntary initiatives included in the White House's announcement today, we strongly disagree with the characterization that rental housing residents are pervasively being taken advantage of by housing providers. We are aware of no credible evidence to support this assumption.

If there are bad actors who are taking advantage of prospective residents, they should be dealt with through appropriate legal channels. As the White House announcement highlights, the relationship between a housing provider and a resident is already largely and appropriately regulated at the state and local levels which can be more responsive to the unique needs of local communities and their housing markets.

Given the housing affordability challenges facing communities throughout the nation, NMHC encourages the White House, as well as other lawmakers in both parties and at all levels of government, to put their focus on enacting policies such as the Biden administration's Housing Supply Action Plan, released last year which outlined a number of thoughtful and actionable steps to lowering housing costs.

NMHC calls on our leaders to quickly enact proven approaches that create more housing which will expand housing opportunity for all, rather than exacerbate today's crisis by promoting additional regulatory proposals that make it more difficult to build and operate the rental homes we need and ultimately, increase costs for renters.

Based in Washington, D.C., the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) is the leadership of the apartment industry. We bring together the prominent owners, managers and developers who help create thriving communities by providing apartment homes for 38.9 million Americans, contributing $3.4 trillion annually to the economy. NMHC provides a forum for insight, advocacy and action that enables both members and the communities they help build to thrive. For more information, contact NMHC at 202/974-2300, e-mail the Council at [email protected], or visit NMHC's website at www.nmhc.org.