WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) sent a letter urging the Trump Administration to reverse course on imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico to prevent housing prices from rising even further. In her letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, she outlines how President Trump’s tariffs will increase housing costs by driving up the cost of construction materials needed to increase the housing supply and address Nevada’s affordable housing crisis. In the letter, sent before this evening’s expiration of the President’s thirty-day pause on new tariffs, Senator Rosen specifically highlights the role Canadian lumber plays in helping meet the demand to build affordable homes.
“In Nevada and throughout the nation, exorbitant housing prices are putting a strain on already-tight household budgets. At a time when high interest rates and low inventory are driving up housing costs, the need to build affordable homes is growing more acute by the day,” wrote Senator Rosen. “However, it is simply too expensive to build affordable housing in the current high-cost environment. Labor shortages, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuating material costs all drive up construction costs, making it harder to develop housing that is affordable for low- and middle-income families.”
“Compounding our nation’s housing affordability crisis through the imposition of reckless tariffs would be devastating and must be reconsidered,” she continued. “To that end, I respectfully ask that you work with the President to exempt critical construction materials, including lumber, from any tariffs imposed on Canada and Mexico. Doing so will not harm our national security, but will instead invest in the economic security of Americans across the country who are struggling to afford a home in an era of rising costs.”
The full text of the letter can be found HERE.
Senator Rosen is working to lower housing costs and prevent housing prices from increasing further. Earlier this year, she introduced bipartisan legislation to invest in the construction workforce to help lower housing costs. Last year, she urged HUD to increase the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority’s (SNRHA) Housing Choice Vouchers allocation by 10,000 vouchers over five years. Senator Rosen also called on Senate leadership to address rising housing prices and lower costs for Nevada families through a series of Congressional actions she outlined.
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