“In 2026, about one-third of states, from North Carolina to Idaho and from New York to Kansas, passed significant housing policy reforms. Some enacted policies aimed at enabling the construction of housing near commerce. Others sought to encourage construction of apartments, accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and starter homes. Several states sought to allow churches and other nonprofits to build on land they already own. And many sought to simplify building codes and permit processes to streamline the development process.

The continued growth of reform efforts, led by bipartisan groups of lawmakers and diverse coalitions, reflects a broadening consensus that housing shortages, high rents, unattainable homeownership, and historically high homelessness are not inevitable but instead result from policy choices that states have the authority to address. Although states took different approaches, the reforms have common themes: They allow construction of a broad array of homes, make better use of land near commerce, pare back inflexible mandates, and lower administrative barriers that add time and cost to development.”

From The Pew Trusts.