Onwuka’s full testimony can be found HERE once the hearing begins.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Patrice Onwuka, director of Independent Women’s Center for Economic Opportunity, will testify before the U.S. House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs on the urgent need to roll back costly regulations and red tape that are making housing increasingly unaffordable for average Americans.
During the hearing, titled: “Housing Affordability: Saving the American Dream”, Onwuka will explain that housing unaffordability is driven by housing shortages, high interest rates, and high home prices. Heavy zoning regulations, long permitting timelines, land-use restrictions, and high costs to build new homes drive prices up for homeowners and lock young people out of homeownership. She is also poised to address the specific ways that housing policy impacts women and their financial futures.
Onwuka will propose that the solution to fixing the housing affordability crisis is to expand housing supply through deregulation, tax policy, and innovation.
In her testimony, Onwuka writes, in part: “Today’s housing challenges place great financial burdens on women and households. High interest rates and ever-increasing home prices have locked many homeowners, such as seniors, in place, although they desire to move, and have locked millions of young people out of homeownership.”
Onwuka explained that the federal government plays a critical role in eliminating costly regulations, boosting individuals’ resources to purchase and renovate homes, and incentivizing innovation in housing.
During her testimony, Onwuka will call on Congress to:
- Roll back federal regulations on zoning and permitting that make the construction process long, costly, and uncertain;
- Roll back costly green energy mandates on home appliances and home building;
- Reform the tax code to reduce policies that discourage home sales; and
- Encourage innovation in housing, such as the creation of accessory dwelling units.
Onwuka concluded her testimony by calling upon Congress to build on the reforms from the 2025 historic Working Families Tax Cut, through bipartisan solutions that will address challenges to expanding affordable housing.
“The median age of a first-time homebuyer in the United States is now 40 years old, the highest on record. Years of Democratic leadership failures imposed burdensome federal regulations, constrained housing supply, and drove up costs,” said Subcommittee Chairman Eric Burlison (R-MO). Millions of Americans, especially young families, were priced out of homeownership and forced to delay milestones that once defined the American Dream. The Biden administration entrenched and expanded these policies, further increasing costs and creating negative ripple effects across the economy. This hearing will examine how President Trump and Republican-led states and municipalities are reversing these failures, and I look forward to hearing from witnesses on how to restore homeownership as an attainable goal for American families.”
Details:
WHAT: House Oversight Committee’s Subcommittee on Economic Growth, Energy Policy and Regulatory Affairs hearing: “Housing Affordability: Saving the American Dream”
WHEN: Thursday, January 27, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. ET
WHERE: 2247 Rayburn House Office Building
Media inquiries: [email protected]
Onwuka’s full testimony will be available HERE after the hearing.
Direct all media inquiries to [email protected].
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