Economist Steve Moore on Monday said that eliminating local and state zoning restrictions will help solve the housing price crisis across the U.S.
Moore argued on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that getting rid of these restrictions would allow more homes to be built, which in turn would allow more Americans to purchase homes. Officials in President Donald Trump’s administration said that regulatory changes will speed up home construction and reward states that reduce barriers to building houses, NBC Palm Springs reported.
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“Yes, housing is expensive today. But for every time that the value of a house goes up, that can be a positive for the economy. Look, I’m typical. I’m 65 years old. A lot of the equity that I have, a lot of the money I have is in the equity in my home,” Moore said. “So if the value of my home goes up, that’s a bad thing. That’s not a bad thing. That’s a good thing. If you want to if you want to see price prices crash for the homes, that’s not going to be a very good thing.”
“This is a financial show. And you want rising home prices not. But we also need a greater supply. And that’s where at the state and local level, we have to get rid of a lot of the zoning restrictions on building housing,” Moore continued.
The surge in housing prices has prevented many Americans from buying a home, particularly young adults. Trump has signaled that housing affordability will be a major priority in 2026, hinting that he will propose the most aggressive housing reform plans in U.S. history.
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Many economists have argued that restrictive zoning laws, often called “red tape,” increase housing prices, limit the supply of housing and hinder economic growth. Economists in favor of these restrictions say that they improve the quality of neighborhoods and protect homeowners’ property values.
The median age to buy a home in 2025 rose to an all-time high of 40 years old, according to the National Association of Realtors.
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