The bipartisan passage of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act marked a major milestone for housing advocates, but the real work is only beginning, according to speakers at the National League of Cities (NLC)’s 2026 Housing Supply Accelerator Summit earlier this week.
During a panel titled “Sustaining the Housing Momentum,” housing leaders discussed how local governments, real estate professionals, planners and home builders can build on recent legislative successes to address the nation’s housing supply challenges.
National Association of REALTORS® Vice President of Advocacy Asa Fleming emphasized the role real estate professionals will play as communities begin implementing new housing tools and policies. Fleming said NAR members are uniquely positioned to connect federal housing initiatives with local needs because they work directly with buyers, sellers, developers, property owners and local officials.
“We occupy a unique space in this ecosystem,” Fleming said, adding that education will be a key priority as implementation moves forward.
NAR members can help communities understand how new housing policies work, communicate the regulatory and market conditions needed to bring projects to completion, and help build public support for expanding housing opportunities. He also highlighted NAR resources that explain how the legislation affects state and local governments and housing development efforts.
Implementation was a recurring priority during the discussion. Fleming said that maintaining momentum will require stakeholders to continue working together and focusing on practical solutions that can expand housing options at a range of price points.
The conversation also highlighted the continued collaboration among housing organizations that has developed through the Housing Supply Accelerator initiative. Many of the same groups, including NAR, NLC, the American Planning Association and the National Association of Home Builders, have spent several years working together to identify housing solutions and build support for reforms aimed at increasing housing supply.
Looking ahead, Fleming pointed to additional policy priorities, including NAR’s support for the More Homes on the Market Act and efforts to address housing costs and insurance availability. For NAR and its partners, he said, the focus remains on ensuring that recent policy achievements translate into more homes and more housing opportunities in communities across the country.
