A groundbreaking initiative to combat America's housing crisis unfolds as President Donald Trump's administration announces plans to utilize federal land for residential development.
According to Daily Caller, Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum are spearheading a new Task Force on Federal Land for Housing to identify government-owned properties suitable for residential development.
The initiative aims to address the severe housing shortage by leveraging approximately 650 million acres of federally controlled land, particularly in Western states like Nevada and Utah, where federal ownership exceeds 80% and 60%, respectively. This collaborative effort between HUD and the Department of Interior marks a significant shift in federal land management policy.
The task force builds upon two previously proposed pieces of legislation designed to grant states more control over land management. The initiative prioritizes areas experiencing severe housing shortages and emphasizes close collaboration with state and local leadership.
Dan Kish, a senior fellow at the Institute for Energy Research, highlights the potential of numerous valuable federal parcels near metropolitan areas that remain underutilized. These properties, often surrounded by chain-link fences, present opportunities for housing development near existing infrastructure.
The program stems from Trump's day-one executive order focused on addressing the cost-of-living crisis, as median home prices have risen dramatically since 2009, with significant spikes occurring in 2020 and 2021.
Recent data from the Heritage Foundation reveals that families now pay $13,300 more annually for the same house compared to January 2021. During the previous administration, housing prices surged by approximately 114.5%.
Turner and Burgum emphasized that their plan is not an unrestricted development initiative for federal lands. Instead, it focuses on careful evaluation of environmental impact and existing land-use restrictions.
According to Turner: "It is our desire that we can build as many homes as possible — quality living spaces of all kinds for the American people."
The task force's objectives align with Senator Mike Lee's Helping Open Underutilized Space to Ensure Shelter (HOUSES) Act, introduced in 2023. The legislation has gained support from senators representing states with significant federal land holdings.
Republican South Carolina Senator Tim Scott's Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act, introduced in fall 2024, complements the task force's goals. Scott shares the administration's vision of increasing affordable housing supply and improving family living standards.
Kish explains that while some states might initially hesitate to embrace the initiative, others are eager to gain access to federal land, particularly Utah, which has long advocated for greater control over its territory.
The Trump administration's federal land housing initiative represents a strategic approach to addressing the national housing crisis through innovative land management. The Task Force on Federal Land for Housing, led by Secretaries Turner and Burgum, will evaluate federally owned properties near metropolitan areas for potential residential development. By combining existing legislative frameworks with new policy directions, the program aims to increase housing availability while maintaining environmental considerations and working closely with state and local authorities to ensure effective implementation.
