Episode 349: NMHC President Says Demand for More Housing is “As Far as the Eye Can See”

The supply of housing in the United States has “never been more out of balance”—with the lack of affordable housing particularly acute—making long-term policy initiatives on the federal, state, and local level more important than ever, says Sharon Wilson Géno, president of the National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC).

Wilson Géno assumed the role of president from Doug Bibby in January, when he officially stepped down after more than 20 years of leading the organization.

Speaking on the REIT Report, Wilson Géno said, “The bottom line is, the demand for more housing in this country is as far as the eye can see.”

Research by NMHC and other organizations indicates that the U.S. housing stock is in a deficit of about 4 million units.

Wilson Géno said new households have formed in the wake of the pandemic, “and that really put a significant strain on the housing supply that was available.” Sizeable rent increases also occurred into the first half of 2022, she noted.